DePaul Cristo Rey's work study program allows students to excel at school and work

This year is already off to a great start for DePaul Cristo Rey High School, as its students are showing continued academic success while building connections within the local community.

For the third year, DePaul Cristo Rey seniors have achieved a 100 percent college acceptance rate. Meanwhile, the school’s Corporate Work Study Program, which allows students to not only gain soft skills, experience and knowledge via a workplace setting and save their families money by earning funds that are applied to tuition — making private school affordable and accessible — is expanding.

Eight additional companies, including well recognized corporate entities and a minority-owned firm, recently joined the CWSP.

“Adding new partners to the CWSP allows DPCR to provide a private, college-prep, quality education to even more students in our community whose families can’t afford other private schools,” says Margee Garbsch, the school’s director of communications and marketing. “Because the CWSP is a fundamental part of a Cristo Rey education, we must have a job for every student, and since our enrollment continues to increase each year, we must add partners as we add students.”

According to Garbsch, adding more partners also adds a larger knowledge base for students with varying interests.

“New sectors like manufacturing, for example, as well as growth in sectors such as healthcare and banking continue to expand our students’ vision of what their future opportunities, careers and goals can be,” Garbsch says. “It also exposes them to professional role models, mentors and opportunities.”

It’s initiatives like the CWSP that play a role in DePaul Cristo Rey's students’ success and drive to continue education post-high school, evidenced by the placement of the school’s alumni from previous years.

“Most graduates of the classes of 2015 and 2016 are enrolled in colleges — some as close as the University of Cincinnati — some further away,” Garbsch says. “The list includes The Ohio State University, Loyola in Chicago and Franklin & Marshall College in Pennsylvania.”

Do Good: 

•    Is your company interested in supporting DePaul Cristo Rey students? Become a corporate partner.

•    Give to DePaul Cristo Rey.

•    Support DePaul Cristo Rey students by volunteering.