For Nate Raney ’28, tennis has always been a constant — a sport that demands focus, discipline, and self-reliance. On Lehigh’s men’s tennis team, he thrives in the solitude of the court, where every point is his to win or lose.
But that same internal drive extends far beyond competition. It’s what fuels his commitment to service.
During winter break 2026, Raney traveled to Guatemala with a dozen members of Chapelwood United Methodist Church in Houston for a week-long mission trip organized by Orphan Outreach and led by his youth pastor. While he’d been on mission trips in the past, this was his first time working with disadvantaged youth.
The experience left a lasting impression.
“The Bible says to care for orphans and widows, and I just felt drawn to go and do what I could,” Raney explains.
“I wanted to grow my own values while helping others. I wanted to be humbled and changed, and I definitely have been,” says Raney. “It’s a little hard to come back to where many people take so many things for granted [...] The kids we were with don’t have much and really don’t have a choice about much. I’m trying to remember that and be more open and mindful.”
Opportunities to Serve
After arriving in Guatemala City, the group quickly settled into a daily rhythm. Each day, they visited family homes, listening to the stories of the children and their caregivers while offering food, toys, encouragement, and support.
A mechanical engineering major with a working knowledge of Spanish, Raney found simple but meaningful ways to connect, including teaching English phrases, sharing games on his phone, and taking time to listen.
“We visited homes with orphans who were being cared for by extended family members and, in one, a grandmother was caring for six kids,” he says.
In another home, a single mother (only a few years older than 20-year-old Raney) did her best to care for three small children.
“Her kids are part of a program called Cadaniño [every child], an educational after-school program for children without much family support. She was so grateful for what they did have, even though it didn’t seem like much.”
Near the end of the week, the group visited a hospital that his church is helping to fund. Raney encountered malnourished children, teens with disabilities, and orphaned infants. It deeply impacted him.
“Seeing them all made me reflect on how much I’ve been given. It motivates me to do what I can to help others who have less,” Raney says. “Every time I think about it, I’m so grateful that I can do this, because not everyone can.”
Gennifer (Gen) Raney P’28 considers opportunities for her son to continue his pursuit of service beyond Lehigh. “Maybe, with Nate’s engineering degree, he can help to build something that will help others, long-term. He’s been blessed with skills and ability, and I can see him incorporating it all into a future of service.”
A Foundation of Support
“He is driven by a desire to serve others and initiated the trip 100 percent,” says Gen. She has encouraged Nate and his younger brother to think beyond the present and consider the long-term impact of their choices.
Tennis, she says, has played a key role in shaping that mindset.
“Tennis motivates Nate, it always has,” she says. “And he’s a better student when he’s playing tennis. He fell in love with it when he was young and became very competitive, especially after moving to Texas six years ago from North Carolina. We traveled around the country to support him and watch him advance to higher levels of competition."
The family’s support extends far beyond the sidelines. They’ve also contributed to Lehigh’s tennis program, including donating a racket stringer to support other student athletes.
For Raney, the sport’s appeal lies in its individuality.
“Being on the court is like playing chess,” he says. “It’s you and your skills against an opponent. You get to figure out their strengths and weaknesses, and how you match up strategically. I love the mental aspect of it.”
When the family moved to Texas, they learned how competitive the sport is there. Nate’s high school team was number two in the state, where his success fed his love of the game, and vice versa.
At Lehigh, he found the right balance: a rigorous engineering program, a competitive tennis team, and the flexibility to pursue other interests, including playing drums with his campus church group.
“My experience in Guatemala helped grow my faith, and it humbly illustrated what the character of God looks like: being of service to others,” says Raney. “The trip gave me a new perspective on how blessed with opportunity I am, and makes me want to be a better leader.”
