by Miranda Eby | May 1, 2026 | Development, School News
Changing the trajectory of a student’s life is not just a mission at Cristo Rey St. Martin, it is a reality that supporters like Kelly McNamara Corley have helped bring to life. Since 2011, Kelly McNamara Corley has been a steadfast supporter of Cristo Rey St. Martin, serving as an employer partner, board member (2013–2022), and Board Chair from 2019 through the end of her term. A generous donor and this year’s Founders’ Dinner sponsor, we are deeply grateful for her years of leadership, philanthropy, and advocacy for our students.
Her journey began at Discover Financial Services, where she helped launch what grew into a strong Corporate Work Study partnership.
“We brought in one student to our legal department, and that was the beginning,” Corley shared. “It became a meaningful experience not just for the students, but for our entire team.”
Through her involvement, Corley witnessed firsthand the power of the Cristo Rey model to transform lives.
“The idea of changing the trajectory of someone’s life through education and opportunity is what drew me in, and it’s what keeps me involved.”
One standout moment came when CRSM students were asked to present to Discover’s senior leadership on how the company might approach social media, which was still a new and evolving space at the time.
“We thought it would be a fun project and weren’t sure what to expect,” she recalled. “But they blew our socks off.”
Students delivered thoughtful, strategic ideas on how Discover could use social media to reach new customers and improve service.
“I remember looking around the room and seeing everyone’s jaws drop,” Corley said. “The quality of their thinking and the confidence of their presentation completely changed our expectations of what high school students can do.”
For Corley, both the outcomes and the relationships have left a lasting impression.
“You see students go on to college, into meaningful careers, and give back to their communities. That’s real impact.”
Even after completing her board service, she continues to support CRSM and encourages others to stay connected.
“There are so many ways to get involved, through giving, volunteering, or simply showing up,” she said. “And meeting the students firsthand is a gift you shouldn’t miss.”
We thank Kelly for her extraordinary commitment to CRSM and for the many ways she continues to champion our mission.
by Miranda Eby | May 1, 2026 | CWSP, School News
Andrea A., a senior at CRSM, is already making a meaningful impact in the workplace through innovation and initiative.
While working at Overture Promotions, Andrea noticed opportunities to improve safety and engagement within the warehouse. Instead of simply observing, she took action and developed a rewards-based program designed to encourage safe practices and recognize employees for doing the right thing.
Andrea’s concept focused on increasing awareness of warehouse safety while creating a positive system of accountability. Her program encourages employees to make safer choices by rewarding consistent, responsible behavior.
With support from leadership, including Christina, the company’s VP of HR, Andrea helped turn her idea into a structured initiative. Christina noted how quickly Andrea stood out. She was “super proud of her” and impressed by her ability to take ownership of a problem and follow through with a solution. She added that Andrea “knocked it out of the park” and consistently demonstrates a level of initiative that goes beyond expectations.
Since the rollout, the company has seen a reduction in incidents and stronger employee engagement. The approach has helped build a more positive environment where employees feel recognized for their efforts. Christina highlighted that Andrea’s work reflects “the level of work ethic, responsibility, and accountability” that companies value, adding that it is rare to see someone at her stage make such a meaningful contribution.
Through the process, Andrea has grown both personally and professionally. “Don’t be afraid to involve yourself. The only way to be involved in a workplace is to be yourself,” she shared. Once more reserved, she has gained confidence by presenting ideas, collaborating with leadership, and seeing her work come to life.
Christina also emphasized the broader impact of Andrea’s example, noting that when students are given opportunities to contribute, “they gain so much” and can truly shape the environments they are part of.
Andrea plans to continue refining the program and exploring new ways to improve workplace systems. Her work is a strong example of how students can bring fresh ideas into professional environments and make a lasting impact.
by Miranda Eby | May 1, 2026 | President’s Pen
Our CRSM theater group held its annual production last weekend, the musical “Mean Girls” by Tina Fey. We held three performances – Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Early in the play, the school principal introduces the new girl to the other students. The cast thought it would be fun to include administrators from CRSM as guest performers in this role. Our Dean of Students went Thursday, our Assistant Principal on Friday, and I took the part on Saturday. The Theater group at Cristo Rey has become wildly popular. Out of a total enrollment of 422 students, 87 tried out for the play. That’s more than 1/5 of all our students. If you do not get a part in the cast, our moderator commits to giving you some role – lighting, sound, scenery, costumes, make-up, props, stage crew, etc.
The first night went off without a hitch and our Dean, with his booming preacher’s voice was a convincing Principal. The students were terrific despite some microphone issues and made it work. Preparation for the second night was proceeding well when our Drama Teacher checked the weather: severe thunderstorms with the possibility of a tornado! The students quickly huddled up and agreed that if, at showtime, the tornado watch area included Waukegan, they would move chairs into the safety hallway outside the gym where the walls are cinderblock. The show must go on!
Sure enough, there was an official watch in our area (meaning the atmospheric conditions could produce a twister) as the curtains were due to go up. Everyone moved to the safe location and Act I started. It was a more intimate affair in the corridor and mics weren’t needed. The students’ voices were great without electronic enhancement.
Our Assistant Principal played her part better than anyone with some ad libs that drew laughter from the audience. When she finished, she discreetly made her way offstage and found a chair at the rear of the audience. During intermission, she noticed someone who looked a little lost. Inquiring who he was – with the off chance they might be one of the student’s supervisors from the Corporate Work Study Program – the stranger shared that he had just left a conference at the Chicago Theological Union and was driving up to Green Bay when he heard on the radio an advisory to take shelter. He got off the highway on Belvidere Road in heavy rain and our school was the first place he saw with cars in the lot and the lights on.
Our Assistant Principal got him some popcorn and welcomed him in. Turns out his name is Peter and he lives in a religious community outside Green Bay. They struck up a conversation and found themselves sharing a fondness for the writings of Thomas Merton!
Act II began and the cast got in a few musical numbers before sirens went off and the weather service warned people to leave the area. The audience dispersed. Peter was given directions back to the Interstate and everyone called it a night… and quite a crazy night.
Two things struck me. First, it is yet another instance of the grit, resolve, and determination our students show every day. Rather than giving up at the first sign of difficulty, they figure out a way. Lots of messages that our society sends say, “college isn’t for you,” “the odds are too great, don’t even try,” “set your sites lower.” Our students don’t let others define them. They are following BIG dreams and know they are up to the challenge.
I read an article the other day called, “Bouncing Back is a Myth” by Keith M. Bellizzi, a professor of human development and family sciences at the University of Connecticut (UCONN). He says:
“I’ve spent more than two decades studying resilience… If there is one myth I wish society would retire, it’s the idea that resilience means ‘toughness’ or ‘bouncing back.’ It is about learning how to integrate difficult experiences into a life that continues forward.”
“We are living in a time of widespread burnout and rising mental health challenges, where cultural pressure to appear strong often leaves people silently struggling.”
“Resilience is not about returning to who you were before [a difficult experience]. It is about becoming someone new: someone who carries the scar, remembers the loss, and still chooses to engage with life. Resilience is not forged in the denial of vulnerability, but in its acceptance. Not in bouncing back, but in integrating what has happened into who you are becoming. And that, I believe, is where real strength lives.”
Bellizzi then goes on to discuss some of the practices that help build resilience. They include: Social Support, Mindfulness, and Expanded Identity.
In other words, Social Support is about being surrounded by a caring community of like-minded people. That is Cristo Rey St. Martin to a “T”. Mindfulness is about greater awareness, focus, and acceptance of yourself and those around you. Being faith-based, CRSM asks students to contemplate our spiritual nature. As Teilhard de Chardin, said, “We are not human beings on a spiritual journey, we are spiritual beings immersed in a human experience.” Expanded Identity is about stretching yourself by seeking exposure to a wide variety of experiences (like our Corporate Internship Program, sports program, community service, and theater club – among others) so that you come to learn more about yourself and your abilities. These routines build resilience. I think you could characterize Cristo Rey St. Martin as a breeding ground for resilient practice.
As our Assistant Principal mused, “Other people might say that Peter wandering into our school was just a coincidence but things like that happen all the time here at CRSM. It wasn’t coincidence, it was Providence. He was lost, looking for shelter in a raging storm, and God brought him here.” Which brings me to my second thought. Cristo Rey is a special place. It brings people from varied backgrounds together in a belief that the best way we can love God is by loving one another. Students, parents, families, teachers, staff, work-study supervisors, donors – even complete strangers – we find each other through CRSM and are all better for it.
I leave you with a wonderful prayer from Thomas Merton:
My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you
does in fact please you.
And I hope that I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road,
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore, will I trust you always though
I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
May the Lord continue to lead us on the right road…
¡Viva Cristo Rey!
