Celia Barquin Arozamena’s presence in the Iowa State community was felt far beyond the athletics department.

In addition to being on the women’s golf team, Barquin Arozamena was an active student in Iowa State’s civil engineering program.

And the department is still mourning Barquin Arozamena, who was found dead on Monday morning at Coldwater Golf Links in Ames. 

James Alleman, faculty professor of civil, construction and environmental engineering, taught Barquin Arozamena in multiple classes within the engineering department. As a student, Alleman recalls how it wasn’t just her athletic or academic successes that made her stand out.

“It was her personality that was memorable,” Alleman said. “She was incredibly outgoing. She had a smile that when she beamed it at you, she just lit up.”

Being a varsity-level athlete, Barquin Arozama worked closely with Alleman around athletic commitments to keep up with her school work. This allowed the two to bond through the extra work that needed to be put in.

“She had to make up a lot of quizzes with me. She was diligent. She was very willing to do the extra efforts to make sure she caught up with class,” Alleman said.

Even though Alleman saw her work ethic in the classroom, he said her dedication also extended past schoolwork and into her athletic career. 

“She had such visions of where she was going to go with her golf career,” Alleman said. “She thought the competition here would help her improve at a level that perhaps she would not have had elsewhere, she may have had plans to go pro at some point.”

Alleman said that many professors in the civil engineering department knew Barquin Arozamena and held her at a high regard.

“It’s devastating, we view her as a daughter,” Alleman said.

Alleman said despite her successes, Barquin Arozamena was always humble and down to earth.

“I will never forget her, that’s for sure,” Alleman said.