Welcome New Partners!

Welcome to the second edition of the Corporate Work-Study Quarterly newsletter. We are proud to recognize our new sponsors who have come aboard since December 2015: BRACE Industrial Group, Cadence Bank, Fairway Energy Partners, LLC, Houston Astros, Lime Rock Resources, Peter Paul Petroleum, and P2 Energy Solutions. Our new sponsors are part of an incredible network of more than 160 generous work-study sponsors that help better prepare our students for college, the workplace, and life.

Among the upcoming important Corporate Work-Study Program (CWSP) events planned in April is our sponsorship luncheon on April 8 featuring Erin Walsh, M.A., an expert on the adolescent brain. She will provide additional guidance to our sponsors on how to best mentor our students. Please see the article below.

Also, meet our hard-working CWSP team (pictured below). Working in tandem with our CWSP sponsors, the team is the foundation of a program that is helping students to develop workplace skills and lifelong learning behaviors.

We hope you find the CWSP Quarterly newsletter informative. Thank you for impacting our students’ lives and for your support. We couldn’t do it without you.

Brandice Pierre Is On Maternity Leave!

In her absence, please contact Catherine Kochman at ckochman@cristoreyjesuit.org or call 281-501-1298.

Learn Free Tips for Supervising Students

Erin Walsh, M.A., an expert on adolescent brain development, will be the guest speaker at our CWSP sponsor luncheon on April 8 from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. The meeting will be held at Hilcorp's new building at 1111 Travis St., 9th floor.

Walsh will provide concrete strategies to effectively engage our students in the workplace. She will explain how to understand, communicate with, and stay connected with young people.

Hilcorp Student Worker Featured in Local Newscast

Cristo Rey Jesuit junior Luis Alejandre was featured recently on CW39 NEWSFIX as a “Class Act.” He was selected because of his numerous accomplishments, in spite of the many obstacles he has had to overcome. Alejandre is taking 5 AP classes and is an active member of the National Honor Society and Campus Ministry.

Alejandre's CWSP supervisor, Susie Nickson, a Senior GeoTech at Hilcorp, said, "Luis is such a pleasure to be around! I treat him as any other employee – of any age. I give him engineering-type work and check back periodically. Mostly, I leave him alone to work independently. He impresses me with his ability to think through problems and stay with the task at hand. Luis has a truly impressive work ethic and a sunny attitude. Certainly, someone to watch for the future! Thanks so much for sending him to Hilcorp!"

Hilcorp has been a CWSP sponsor since 2010.

Experience at Plains All American Pipeline Helps Alumna Land a Job

Cristo Rey Jesuit Class of 2015 alumna Bella Flores (right) is continuing to build on her experiences working for her former CWSP sponsor, Plains All American Pipeline, a CWSP member since 2012.

She recently reached out to Alumni Coordinator Ashley John to share her excitement over so easily receiving an on-campus job at Texas State University. “I had an interview for a work-study position here at school, and they were so impressed with my resume and all of my experience in an office! They were so happy that they gave me the job right away. My experiences at Cristo Rey Jesuit made a big difference!” Bella is now an administrative assistant in Human Resources at Texas State University.

CWSP Students of the Month Recognized

To recognize our students, the CWSP instituted a Student of the Month program in October 2015. The program recognizes a group of students who show mastery over the "Skill of the Month" for that month. Each student is awarded a certificate and gift card.

The Skill of the Month for February was “describing how a students’ work contributes to their organization.” Students were asked to work with their supervisors to identify the value of their work and their roles within their organizations.

The two students recognized in February were senior Michael Gutierrez, who works for Salient Partners LLP (sponsor since 2012), and freshman Fabian Moreno, who works for Winston & Strawn LLP (sponsor since 2015).

Fabian's supervisor at Winston & Strawn LLP commented: "He's a valuable worker. I hear nothing but rave reviews on his performance. He's a fast-paced learner and practically could be hired on with little instruction on doing his job. He's really a great worker."

Michael's supervisor at Salient Partners L.P commented: "I have worked with Michael for a while and he's so respectful, responsible, and such a hard worker. He is always so willing to help with anything. His positive attitude is so refreshing!"

January Students of the Month, who were recognized for their outstanding communication skills, were freshman Eduardo Salas, who works for EnerVest, Ltd. (sponsor since 2012), and senior Yolanda Bustos, who works for Aquinas Companies (sponsor since 2009). Each student was required to focus on professional communication, including writing emails with the proper format and mastering the ability to speak formally on the phone.

Yolanda’s supervisor at Aquinas Companies said, “After watching a soft-spoken person bloom into one who doesn’t hesitate to initiate a conversation in our office, I think Yolanda deserves this honor more than any student I’ve encountered over the years. She communicates very well in person and through voicemail. She also does a great job with written work.”

Eduardo’s supervisor at EnerVest, Ltd. said, “He’s doing an exceptional job and we really applaud his hard work and attention to detail. He has proven his ability to handle more complex tasks with minimum supervision.”

Texas Medical Center Student Workers Ride the Rail

The CWSP METRORail Program is on track and running smoothly. In late February, 11 CWSP students, who work on Mondays, started taking the Houston METRORail to their jobs in the Texas Medical Center, instead of being dropped off by the CWSP shuttle at their locations.

“I was nervous at first,” said senior student Tzetzengary Chavez, who works at Texas Children’s Hospital in the Texas Medical Center. “I was afraid they’d leave me, but there's a chaperone with us on the train both going and coming. I feel really safe.”

The METRO Sales Representative for Client Service and Ridership, Nicole Adler, discussed additional safety measures when she came to Cristo Rey Jesuit on March 10 to meet with the new riders. She emphasized to the students that they should not wear headphones while riding or waiting for the train. “For your safety, you need to be aware at all times,” she said. She also informed the students that there are cameras at train stations and on the trains as well as METRO police and rail inspectors who ride the trains.

Not only is the new plan more convenient, saving time, but it’s a money saver since it doesn’t require the van drivers to go to each facility in the Texas Medical Center. Cristo Rey Jesuit purchases the METRORail passes at a reduced price. With the new drop off point at the Fannin South Park & Ride, the CWSP shuttle drops the students off about 8 a.m. and then returns to the same location to pick the students up about 4 p.m.

Bain & Company, Inc., Donates Consulting Services

We would like to thank Bain & Company, Inc., a CWSP sponsor since 2012, for donating consulting services this year. After meeting with each department at Cristo Rey Jesuit, Bain consultants (pictured left to right) Matthew Alexander, AJ Shelman-Cohen and Matt Tramonte were instrumental in developing strategies for the school to move forward in the most efficient and effective manner.

Our sponsors support us in many ways. If your company has contributed to the Cristo Rey Jesuit community, please send us details so we can share your positive impact!

Ice Cream Social for Student Workers

Students who receive an overall score of 5 out of 5 from their supervisors on their mid-year evaluations are treated to an ice cream social during the fall semester.

East End Chamber Breakfast Event Held

Cristo Rey Jesuit President Paul Posoli (left) met with Frances Castaneda Dyess, President, Houston East End Chamber of Commerce, during the monthly Chamber Breakfast Exchange on March 24. Hosted by Cristo Rey Jesuit in the Father TJ Martinez, SJ, Center for Mission and Ministry, current and potential Chamber members built relationships while dining on a complimentary breakfast.

Come Play with Us!

Celebrate the end of tax season at the 3rd Annual Cristo Rey Jesuit Golf Classic on Monday, April 18th at the prestigious Golf Club of Houston, 5860 Wilson Rd., in Humble.

Anticipating another great event this year, teams have been selling out fast! Participation will be determined on a first-come basis. Contact Erin Eisenhard at 281-501-1298 or email her at eeisenhard@cristoreyjesuit.org to register your team or to become a hole sponsor. Funds raised will support Cristo Rey Jesuit student scholarships.