Cristo Rey Jesuit High School is devastated to learn of the unexpected and tragic loss of graduate David Ramos on August 25th due to complications of Dengue and Leukemia. David was in Mexico taking a gap year to pursue his dreams of playing soccer professionally before going to college.

In the words of Jim Nelson, David's former teacher at his elementary school, Risen Christ, who now works at Cristo Rey, "David was funny and charismatic. He was always smiling and willing to encourage others."

David graduated in June 2020 and was a leader in the classroom, on the soccer field and beyond, working at Bell Bank. "David worked with our wealth management team and also assisted with marketing," said Kathleen Strombeck, Senior Vice President at Bell Bank. "David was beloved at Bell Bank as a young man who was kind, passionate about soccer and a very hard worker."

David will be dearly missed by the entire Cristo Rey Jesuit family. Our hearts go out to the Ramos family and we hold them in our prayers during this difficult time.

On Monday, August 31, we began construction on a new, state-of-the-art technology lab!

The Ken Melrose Technology Lab will allow Cristo Rey Jesuit students to develop skills in coding, CAD, circuitry, and audio/visual editing through the use of high-tech equipment such as laser cutters, CNC routers, 3D printers, drones, robots, video and photography software and other industry-related equipment. This will maximize students’ preparation for work study positions and future careers.

Cristo Rey Network graduates earn college degrees at three times the national average for similar demographics. Our students then enter the workforce adding value to companies around the Twin Cities. Our fully-equipped Technology Lab will prepare Cristo Rey students for higher skilled in-demand jobs. The addition of technical skills training to our curriculum will help to meet the increase in industry demand for software developers, analysts, and employees in computer and IT roles

When Carmen Saldivar-Montano '16 first walked into U.S. Bank in 2014, it wasn’t with a parent to open a savings account. Rather, it was her first day of work and the start of a new chapter of her life. Six years later, her story continues.

Through the Corporate Work Study Program, Carmen spent her final two years of high school working one day per week and rotating Fridays with the Prepaid team. That she held her own alongside her older, more experienced U.S. Bank colleagues is an understatement. Upon high school graduation, Carmen left the bank to begin her college journey, however, unforeseen circumstances necessitated her return to the Twin Cities area not long after starting. Undaunted and industrious, she contacted her Prepaid friends and mentors and was hired full time in the fall of 2016.

Congratulations to Corporate Work Study Program Partners Bell Bank, Ryan Companies, Allianz, Mortenson Company, RSM, and AgMotion, Inc. for being named a 2020 StarTribune Top 150 Workplace! Thank you for investing in the development of a diverse workforce through our Corporate Work Study Program.

"The most successful companies attract talent of all types, bringing a diversity of teams and perspectives to the table. Do what we can to ensure the pipeline of talent is broad, that it’s not a siloed network. Make the diverse hire. Ensure that the right systems are in place to support that talent when they do join. Rigorously track, measure and make data-driven decisions. The data unequivocally shows that diverse teams lead to better outcomes. And let Minnesota be that first mover for change. Let innovation be born out of the national crisis we’re facing today."

-StarTribune Top 150 Workplaces 2020 Keynote Speaker, Mary Grove

A complete list of those selected is available at StarTribune.com/topworkplaces.

We are always looking for new Corporate Work Study Program partners!

It’s easy for companies to participate—companies pay Cristo Rey directly for the students’ time, and the school handles all administrative details such as payroll, FICA, FUTA, W-4, I-9, etc. Participating companies get diverse, reliable and motivated talent for high-turnover positions, without the cost of additional benefits.

Join the 85+ Twin Cities companies who are ALL IN to partner with Cristo Rey this year, like Xcel Energy, Lazard, Värde Partners, Dorsey & Whitney LLP, APi Group and the University of St. Thomas! 

To learn more about hiring our students, contact jobs@cristoreytc.org.

I work at Allied Solutions, which is a marketing, lending and insurance company. At work, I'd typically package and ship presentations that are ordered by people for meetings. I also facilitate opportunities for the companies we are aligned with and help keep our system up-to-date with our customers' contact information.