At CVHS, behind the flickering screens and tangled cords, is a man who makes sure everything runs smoothly, even if you don’t always see him.
His name is Jose Ceja, but to most of us, he’s our go to tech guy who saves the day when the Wi-Fi goes down or our Chromebooks crash. What many students don’t realize, though, is that Ceja’s story is just as remarkable as the work he does.
Officially, Ceja holds the title of campus instructional technology specialist, but when asked, he simply says, “I’m the tech guy.” Whether it’s fixing CleverTouch TVs, installing software, or helping teachers figure out why their screens won’t turn on, Ceja is always there. And he does it with quiet dedication, just making sure everything works so the rest of us can learn.
Ceja’s journey to CVHS wasn’t exactly sunshine and rainbows.
“I came from Mexico when I was 14. I didn’t know any English,” he shared. “Starting high school here was really hard. I had to work and take only one or two classes at a time because of money.”
After starting high school in the U.S., he fought through language barriers and financial challenges to eventually earn a college degree, paying for it all himself without any loans.
“It took me seven years,” he said. “But I kept going.” Tragically, Ceja’s father passed away just before his graduation. “That pushed me even more to finish. I knew I had to do it for him.”
Before joining CVHS in 2018, Ceja worked in the corporate world, even doing tech support for Shell. However, he left that job because it didn’t offer benefits or stability.
“I wanted something more secure, something where I could grow,” he explained. When a friend told him about an opening at CVHS, he reached out and has been here ever since.
Since then, he’s become an essential part of the community. “Helping people is the best part,” he said. “Even if I can’t fix something myself, I’ll find someone who can. I always follow up. I want to make sure it gets solved.”
When asked what he enjoys most about his job, Ceja didn’t hesitate: “Helping people. Solving problems. Just being able to fix something and make someone’s day better.” He’s the kind of person who takes pride in solving your tech crisis, but even when he can’t, he will find a way to solve the problem.
Outside of work, Ceja is a big fan of ’80s and ’90s movies. Some of his favorites are “Back to the Future” and “The Lord of the Rings.” He also enjoys playing video games and running. “I love to run. I wake up at 5 a.m. and go,” he said, mentioning that he does several 5K races a year, including the annual “Rodney Run.” He laughed when asked about marathons: “Too much training,” he admitted.
Although he describes himself as introverted and not super talkative, Ceja has become a comforting presence on campus.
“I don’t really start conversations. I wait for others to talk first,” he admits.
Students may only see him briefly, when their computer crashes or a projector won’t work, but behind those moments is a man who is understanding.
When asked what three words his family and friends would use to describe him, he smiled and said, “Responsible, thankful, and a good listener.”
For students thinking about going into tech, Ceja has one big piece of advice: “Now is the time. With AI, cybersecurity, and everything moving to the cloud, there’s so much opportunity. If I were younger, I’d definitely go into one of those.”
