To keep Cristo Rey students engaged in professional development while in-person job assignments are on hold for public health concerns, the Corporate Work Study Program (CWSP) team has implemented extensive programming for students at every grade level.  Most recently, Deloitte professionals joined in - leading a CWSP Speaker Series event for 30 freshmen and senior students who opted to participate.   

The Speaker Series provides an opportunity for CWSP Partners to present to students on a topic they feel passionately about sharing.  The Deloitte team focused their program on early career development and invited three professionals who are recent college graduates to serve on a panel. 

The Deloitte team presented on the audit & assurance business and advisory businesses of the organization in relatable terms, noting that relationships with clients and team members are always at the forefront of their work. Freshman student Emily, who is eagerly awaiting the day when she can go to her first CWSP job, enjoyed hearing from the professionals, especially on how to pick a college major.  Emily explains, “One thing I learned from the event is that you may have trouble deciding what you may what to study, but go with what you find interesting.” 

Senior Alize asked questions during the panel and was impressed by the walkthrough of the data analytics process: “I think my favorite part was being able to hear them, one-on-one, about their experience in their workplace, especially because heading off to college you don’t know what to expect.” She added, “I want to major in business, and I think it was a great opportunity to ask and hear what they have to say and take their advice. I have a statistics class now, so it was interesting actually knowing what some of them were talking about when telling us about how they analyze data using a scatter plot or box plot graph.” 

Cristo Rey is extremely grateful to have Deloitte, a CWSP Partner for more than a decade, share in creative student professional development during this mostly-virtual year. CWSP Partners like Deloitte are helping to prepare the next generation of Chicago’s workforce through this career preparatory programming. 

Over the coming months, CWSP’s plans include expanding remote work opportunities, Microsoft Excel certification exams, and a career-prep module with opportunities for corporate partners to join in. 

If you or your company would like to help, contact Taylor Sticha (tsticha@cristorey.net), Manager of Corporate Engagement. 

When the news about GameStop’s spiking stock took over social media, Cristo Rey students took notice. Assistant Principal Kate Schulte, who also moderates the Personal Finance Club, was quickly approached by a senior student asking questions. Ms. Schulte had an inclination that other students were curious as well, so she put together an informational meeting to address students’ inquiries. History teacher Dennis Moller, who always enjoys talking about finances, the economy, and its effect on history, also jumped on board.

The two were joined by Cristo Rey alumni Omar Flores ’09, current CDO Analyst Principal at US Bank, and Rachel Romero ‘18, current UIC student majoring in finance, to speak about the basics of investing. Together, they spent more than an hour last Friday answering questions and engaging in conversation with more than curious 30 students of all grade levels.

Through the Personal Finance Club, Ms. Schulte teaches students that “learning about your finances and how to be financially stable is essential to living a healthy and prosperous life.” She was happy to provide this special outlet for students during this very teachable moment: “I have been proud of what my financial math students have learned and continue to learn after Cristo Rey and was glad that we could offer this Stock Market 101 session during a year that has been like no other!”

Omar, Rachel, and students Diego M. and Daniel K. shared their thoughts about investing:

Omar Flores, Class of 2009, CDO Analyst Principal at US Bank: “When I was in school, I didn’t have anyone who could teach me about finances. That’s one of the reasons I went into finance and economics. The reason why learning to budget, save, and invest is so important is that building wealth allows you to have options in your future. Whether you want to buy a car or home, save for retirement, or become financially independent, learning to save and invest will help give you those options and open doors for you. Many people at a young age don’t think about saving. When they first get a job, they start to spend what they earn and then they don’t develop the skills to be financially stable. As a wise man once said, ‘Live like no one else now, so you can live like no one else later.’”

Rachel Romero, Class of 2018, finance major at UIC: “Having an understanding of financial literacy is advantageous in everyday life. I remember one of the first exercises of being in the Investment Club at CR with Ms. Schulte was to distinguish our needs from our wants. Learning more about how there is good debt, which is an investment, or bad debt like a liability. This understanding is a vital tool for budgeting your finances. Being able to understand your financials is beneficial for the long run when planning out expenses for your future goals. Also, you may find yourself really enjoying learning about finances or you may enjoy the adrenaline of taking educated risks in trading investments. Investment club helped me discover this passion and I hope it can for other CR students as well!”

Diego M. Class of 2021: “I believe that schools should teach financial concepts at a young age to promote economic success. My first introduction to finances was in eighth grade when an investor from Big Shoulders taught a class about stocks. I could not believe that there was a method to make money without working at a job. This experience changed my perspective about money and motivated me to find ways to create wealth without "working." I decided to create a business and invest in financial books to educate myself.  I think it is never too late to be financially educated and I encourage others to learn about finance. I believe financial education is vital because it sharpens decision-making skills, negotiating skills, and leads to a better lifestyle.”

Daniel K., Class of 2023: "I think knowledge of finance is powerful because it doesn't take a long time to learn the basics and can be used in your everyday life to improve your overall well-being. Believe it or not, a 15-minute conversation about finance at a young age can be the leading factor that turns you into a millionaire when you are older. I started studying finance at 13 years old, and to be honest, I wish I would have started even earlier. If you want to find out why I started so early, and why I wish I would've started even earlier, you’re simply going to have to start investing and getting into the world of finance. That's the only way you will get a true understanding.”

Cristo Rey is proud to announce that senior Yaritza A. will attend Bowdoin College in the fall on a QuestBridge National College Match Scholarship.

QuestBridge National College Match connects high-achieving high school seniors from low-income backgrounds with full four-year scholarships to the nation’s top colleges. Yaritza is one of 1,464 recipients this year, out of more than 18,500 applicants to the program.

Match Scholarship Recipients are admitted early to QuestBridge college partners with full four-year scholarships that are provided by the colleges and universities, ensuring for these students and their families that an education at a top college can be affordable. The Match Scholarship is offered as part of a generous financial aid package provided by the college that covers the full cost of attendance, including tuition, room and board, books and supplies, and travel expenses.

“During a challenging year that has pushed counselors and students to creatively approach the college application process, Yaritza stands out for her confidence and diligence in applying to 16 colleges,” said Reina Garcia, Director of College Counseling. “Yaritza owned her process from our first meeting, during which she listed Bowdoin as her top choice school, to the moment she shared the exciting news that she had matched with Bowdoin for QuestBridge’s National College Match scholarship. Bowdoin is lucky to be welcoming such a brave, innovative, and talented young woman. Yaritza is going to take the world by storm and I can’t wait."

And Yaritza is ready to set the world on fire. She reflects: "QuestBridge introduced me to the possibility of being able to go to a great college without having to worry about the financial stress it might put on my parents and me. Essentially, it opened my eyes to how big this world could be for me. I had only ever imagined being able to leave home for college, and now that it has become a reality, all I could ever be is grateful."

Congratuations, Yaritza!