by Miranda Eby | Feb 13, 2025 | Alumni Spotlight
When Agustin (Augi) Martinez was a student at Cristo Rey St. Martin, his first Corporate Work Study Program placement was with Catholic Charities. Ten years later, when he began his career journey at Catholic Charities in 2023 as a Housing Occupancy Specialist, it all came full circle. In his current role as a Housing Case Manager, Augi interviews individuals experiencing homelessness, helps them set goals, and works with them to find stable housing. He continues to be a person for others, a key aspect of the CRSM mission, day-to-day in this role. While the job is rewarding, Augi acknowledges that it comes with challenges due to the trauma and stress many of his clients’ face.
Reflecting on his time at CRSM, Augi shared how the Corporate Work Study Program was instrumental in shaping his career. “CWSP prepared me to communicate professionally with clients and coworkers and taught me essential office skills, like faxing and filing,” he explained. “Although these may seem like small things, they are actually major parts of a job, and I’m lucky to have been taught these skills early on”. He also appreciated CRSM’s strong sense of community, which he carried with him into college. “It felt like a family,” he said.
After graduating from CRSM, Augi attended St. Xavier University. While initially starting as an art major, he later found his passion in psychology with the guidance of his professors, ultimately earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in sociology.
Augi offers advice to current students CRSM: “Don’t feel rushed to choose your career path. Take your time, chase your highest dreams, and always have a backup plan. Even if you don’t know what you want now, work toward something.”
As a first-generation college student, Augi found essential support from CRSM’s college counselors, who helped him navigate the college process. Today, in addition to case management, he manages marketing, advertising, social media, event planning, and networking. “Building bonds in the community is key. You never know what opportunities you’ll run into.”
by Miranda Eby | Feb 13, 2025 | Academic, School News
It’s not every day that CRSM students’ quotes and insights end up in a professional manuscript. However, this will be the case for the students involved in the after-school club AI Club, which is dedicated to exposing students to Artificial Intelligence (AI).
When Dr. Lisa Kentgen, a clinical psychologist and author, wanted to write a manuscript about AI and its impact on high school students, she reached out first to the Scholastic Artificial Intelligence League or SAILea. This non-profit organization has supported our AI Club with grants for robot building and has guided meaningful discussions about AI with our students. Aritra Saha, Board Member and Executive Director of SAILea, first connected with CRSM’s AI Club last school year and put Dr. Kentgen in contact with the current president, Elian, who has grown the club to over 17 members.
During a recent Zoom interview, Dr. Kentgen asked our students what they liked most about the club and learning about AI. Paula, a junior, responded, “AI has been impacting society now more than ever, and I would like to learn more about how it impacts school and life outside of the classroom.” As Dr. Kentgen began to explore her prompts for the students, the discussion became livelier. “If used well, how can AI deepen communication?” she asked.
The students took turns speaking on this, as they had past questions. “AI could help translate and remove language barriers when interacting with others in foreign nations,” stated one student. The student then expanded on this by saying, “It could help people with disabilities, such as those with hearing or eyesight impairments, communicate better as well.”
This sparked a larger discussion about the future of AI and communication between Dr. Kentgen and the AI Club. “AI helps me to break down processes in my school and fact check my information to see if it’s reliable when writing papers,” offered another student.
What the future may hold for AI applications has yet to be seen, but CRSM students are growing up in this new digital era, where they will be exposed to AI in school and the workplace. At this time, AI Club officials do not have a release date for Dr. Kentgen’s manuscript; however,, we look forward to reading the contributions of CRSM students to her piece.
by Miranda Eby | Feb 13, 2025 | CWSP, School News
From the moment they stepped through the doors, the students’ enthusiasm and professionalism caught the attention of both supervisors and team members alike. On January 6th, the partnership between CRSM’s Corporate Work Study Program and Zebra Technologies Distribution Center began. Based in Kenosha (WI), Zebra Technologies is a midsize company that focuses on creating hardware and software for clients and companies such as the NFL and Motorola Solutions.
On day one, the students’ eagerness to learn and contribute to the team was apparent. “Daniela (CRSM class of 2025) was extremely professional, motivated to learn and accomplish tasks, and received the team’s training well,” Adriana Cabrera, who oversees the students, shared. Daniela primarily works in the reconfiguration and configuration departments and helps configure phone scanners before distribution. “Daniela demonstrated excellent receptiveness and understanding throughout the workday. The Zebra associates who worked closely with Daniela provided positive feedback, highlighting the student’s positive attitude and eagerness to learn,” Adriana continued.
Rebeca, another student intern (CRSM class of 2026), wasted no time in grasping the tasks assigned to her. Rebeca also works in the configuration department at Zebra, performing similar tasks to Daniela. Adriana was particularly impressed with Rebeca’s openness to feedback, something encouraged within the work-study program at CRSM. “Rebeca is very bright. We had her start a new staging process yesterday, and she picked it up almost immediately,” Adriana said. “I received positive input from the associates she worked with about her openness to both the work and the feedback from the team.”
“Honestly, we have a great group of students, and we are very lucky to have them,” Adriana said. “Their dedication, proactiveness, and discipline contribute significantly to the collaborative atmosphere of our departments.”
CRSM is truly thrilled to welcome Zebra as a new partner in our Corporate Work Study Program. We are confident that this is the beginning of a rewarding collaboration and journey filled with growth, learning, and mutual success for both CRSM students and Zebra Technologies.
by Miranda Eby | Feb 13, 2025 | Admission, School News
With one son already in college at Stanford University (CRSM 2022), and two more set to graduate from CRSM in 2025 and 2029, Sandra Reyes is incredibly proud of her family, and to be a part of the Cristo Rey community. And we are lucky to have her!
CRSM admissions and recruitment events are a team effort by the Admissions Department and a group of passionate parent volunteers. We could not possibly have done what we do in admissions with such success without our parent volunteers.
Sandra has helped out at various picnics, parades, interview nights, and many more events throughout her six years of volunteering with Admissions.
“I enjoy meeting the different students, and seeing how the students can have a future through Cristo Rey St. Martin,” said Sandra.
Sandra states she will fill in wherever needed when Noemi Cuesta, CRSM Admissions Director, calls and asks for help. From cooking hotdogs and burgers for the Admitted Students’ Night, to carrying a banner in the summer parades, Sandra has done it all when it comes to recruitment volunteering.
“This school has been really important to my family. It’s how I take care of my kids, and sending them here feels like the right thing to do,” stated Sandra.
by Miranda Eby | Feb 13, 2025 | Campus Ministry, School News
The chapel near the main entrance of Cristo Rey St. Martin notably differs from the rest of the building in its aesthetic. The altar and ambo are custom-designed and built. The large cross that arches across the ceiling is framed by sustainable bamboo wood. The processional cross and tabernacle were specially crafted with the Cristo Rey logo. Recently, another unique feature was introduced to the space: seven mosaic scenes adorn the chapel walls.
These mosaics are a symbol of both modern technology and traditional methods of production, each with historical origins behind them. The images were chosen and then edited with AI to generate the tile format and customization. After the artwork was created the mosaics were then produced in Lebanon during the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Mosaic #1: The moment St. Paul is blinded by God in front of a Roman soldier.
Preston Kendall explains that “much like restaurants have a signature dish, Father Foley used to say that the Cristo Rey movement had a signature gospel story… that is when Saul becomes St. Paul and is blinded by God’s light and told to go into the city and do what he must do.” As such, the CRN founders fulfilled what ‘they must do’ in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago – they knocked on the doors of the community members and asked what they needed. The community unanimously agreed that a college preparatory high school was of greatest need, and the first Cristo Rey school was born.
Mosaic #2: Luke 5:19, in which a paralyzed man is lowered through the roof of a crowded house for Jesus to forgive and heal.
Jim Dippold, Director of Campus Ministry, states that “the creative problem-solving of the man’s friends is reflected in our own stories and life challenges. If something seems difficult or impossible, much like starting a Cristo Rey school, the community will always find a way with grit and perseverance.”
Mosaic #3: Martin Luther King Jr.’s March on Washington protest, aligning with our commitment to social justice.
Mosaic #4: Dorothy Day, co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement.
The scene captures her moments before being arrested at a United Farmworker protest, fighting for better wages and working conditions in California’s grape fields. She symbolizes our modern interpretation of the Mass for the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker and embodies “faith in action,” Dippold explains.
Mosaic #5: Nicholas Black Elk, a Lakota medicine man, and Catholic catechist who worked with the Jesuits, is featured in this scene teaching young children the Catholic Faith.
Black Elk was a medicinal healer who became Catholic in the early 1900s and is currently in the process of canonization. This is CRSM’s homage to the connection that Cristo Rey St. Martin has with Mahpiya Luta High School on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota, and shows us a path of interreligious dialogue and authentic inculturation.
Mosaic #6: Our Lady of Guadalupe
Mosaic #7: Young St. Martin de Porres
The feast day Masses to celebrate Martin and La Virgen are especially significant for our CRSM community. The school is named after St. Martin, and the mosaic shows a young St. Martin, aligning him more closely with the CRSM student population. Our Lady of Guadalupe is a cornerstone of Mexican Catholicism, and this mosaic is meant to resonate with our students, who are primarily of Mexican descent and hold cultural significance.
To complete this unique feature of the chapel, there will be a Bible verse accompanying each mosaic that holds its story and message. These will most likely be installed this spring.
