International Student Spotlight: Hugo Cerrato

By Sam Sofio

Born in Olancho, Honduras, Hugo Cerrato, a sophomore Economics and International Studies double major, has seen His faithful God move mountains in order to both bless him and do far more abundantly beyond all he could ever ask or think.

From his early childhood in Honduras, Cerrato has enjoyed great food, plenty of sun and a community of warm and welcoming people. Above all, Cerrato was raised by a family of strong believers who loved him, served him and instructed him in the Word of God. 

“They won’t admit it but they have been the best parents,” Cerrato said. “Not everyone gets that opportunity to be in a Christian family. I am grateful because they are an example of how to live in a Christ like way. I am grateful because they have instructed me in the paths of the Lord.”

Although, as a child, Cerrato was surrounded by the Word of God both in his home and in his school, he did not yet have a personal relationship with the Lord.

However, at the age of ten, all of this changed when Cerrato encountered God at a school retreat. At this retreat, Cerrato saw his need to make his faith his own, and after he believed in Christ as His personal Lord and Savior, he began to see his heart change. 

“It was pretty much going from; I go to church because this is what my family does, and it turned into a personal conviction,” Cerrato said. “I go to church because I believe in God; I believe in Christ. I believe in the work that He’s done for me.”

After Cerrato accepted Christ, he became more committed both in school and in life. This change God worked in Cerrato’s heart prepared him for the blessings God was about to give him. 

In 2021, Cerrato’s sister, senior marketing major Gladys Cerrato, dreamed of going to a school in the United States. Her dream became a reality when God used a couple from her church in Honduras to tell her about a small Christian university in Ohio called “Cedarville University.”

While Gladys was at Cedarville, Hugo and his parents often watched chapel and talked with Gladys every day. After hearing how much she was enjoying Cedarville, enjoying great people and enjoying living out her faith in practical ways, Hugo was motivated to follow in his sister’s footsteps. 

“My prayer before applying to Cedarville was that the Lord would make it clear if he wanted me here or not,” Hugo said. “‘If You want me here, I trust that You will make the way.'”

From a logistical standpoint, Cerrato attending Cedarville was difficult, if not impossible. 

“I was applying and just dreaming about coming to Cedarville,” Cerrato said. “I did it out of faith because my family and I knew it was just not possible. It was a process of trusting the Lord.”

When Cerrato was in the process of applying, he heard Cedarville’s Trustee, Dr. Deforia Lane, speak in an online chapel service. During this service, Dr. Lane read Larnelle Harris’s “Strength of the Lord” song, which helped relieve his troubling fears. 

Cerrato was encouraged to hear, “It’s not in trying but in trusting; it’s not in running but in resting, not in wondering but in praying that we find the strength of the Lord.”

 As Cerrato continued to trust in the Lord with all of his heart, God not only faithfully accepted Cerrato into Cedarville, but He also provided all of His financial needs to be able to attend Cedarville. 

Cerrato knows that both he and his sister are attending Cedarville for only one reason – the grace of a faithful, loving and kind God. 

“He made a way,” Cerrato said. “Looking back, I would not have imagined this two years ago back home. The Lord is good.”

Now at Cedarville, God continues to show his faithful love to Cerrato, who was recently elected to serve as the vice president of Cedarville’s Student Government Association for the 2025-2026 school year. As vice president, Cerrato hopes to encourage students to shine the light of Christ in both the small things and big things of everyday life. 

“To have the opportunity to encourage students with SGA is humbling,” Cerrato said. “Trust the Lord; He’s in control. He is never going to let you down.” 

Sam Sofio is a sophomore Professional Writing and Information Design major. He enjoys conversations about the love of Christ and aspires to write for a Christian organization.