More than 50 admissions counselors from colleges and universities filled the chapel and conference rooms, at Cristo Rey St. Martin Sept. 24, 2021, to help students decide their next steps after high school.
The third annual college fair was organized by the college counseling department and was open to all CRSM juniors and seniors and their parents. The event gave students and parents an opportunity to speak directly with college representatives and learn more about programs, financial aid, and school culture.
CRSM senior Ashley, plans to study veterinary medicine and was able to narrow her choice of schools after speaking with college representatives at the college fair. She’s got her sight set on The University of Wisconsin/Madison, Lawrence University and Augustana College, her top three picks.
“I loved it,” says Ashley, who also is a College Bound Opportunity Scholar, works at the student-run La Mesita De Martin coffee shop and works weekends and after school at Starbucks. “It was amazing, and the reps were so happy to talk to us. I am passionate about working as a vet to help animals who have been abandoned and are in poor health become healthy again. I’m looking for a school that really cares about students, has diversity, and will offer me the best opportunity. It all just clicked for me and now I know where I want to be.”
The 50 colleges and universities included: Arrupe College of Loyola, Xavier, DePaul Marquette, Lawrence and National Louis universities, along with the College of the Holy Cross, Lake Forest College, Davidson College in North Carolina and more.
Last year, in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic, CRSM was unable to hold the college fair, so this year’s event is even more significant, according to CRSM’s college counselors, Sharon Holdvogt and Lori Felix. “We’ve very excited to bring back this opportunity to our students again,” they both agreed. “We strongly believe that college changes the trajectory for our students and so we do everything we can to educate them, and their parents, about what that experience will be like. This was a great way to rejuvenate the excitement about the college experience.”
CRSM college counselors have been receiving very positive feedback from the college reps who met with students. “The fair was an awesome experience, and the students were unbelievably engaged and asked some incredible questions,” says Mike Andelbradt, Assistant Director of Enrollment, John Carroll University. “We hope to have some of them coming our way here outside of Cleveland, Ohio.”
Margaret Ford, an admissions counselor at Marian University says she was “very impressed,” with CRSM students.
“You have a very diverse group of students here and put a lot of emphasis on academics, culture and faith, which are also the core values of Marian,” she says.
Maira Rodriguez, Associate Director of Admissions at Augustana College says: “The students here are incredible. They’re energized and know what questions to ask.”
Since the fair, Holdvogt says she’s been approached by students who say they’ve added new schools to their list and are eager to make in-person visits. CRSM has distributed gas cards to students so that they can make treks to college campuses with their parents.
For more information on college counseling at CRSM, contact: Sharon Holdvogt, College Counselor
sholdvogt@cristoreystmartin.org or Lori Felix, College Counselor lorifelix@cristoreystmartin.org.