A Day in the Life

A Day in the Life

Meet Ashley Fonseca, CRSM Class of ’22. At Augustana College in Rock Island, IL you will find her preparing for a career as a veterinarian, working out, or she could be found exploring new opportunities in the college’s crochet club and the LatinXUnidos club. She’s also an intern at a nearby animal clinic.

“I owe my confidence and quick adjustment to college to Cristo Rey, which really prepared me,” says Ashley. “I am surprised at my independence, but I was taught to pursue my own path and to overcome disappointments when they come my way. But I do talk to my mom every day.” Her dogs, Sparky and Snoopy are regulars on the FaceTime mom-daughter chats.”

Last year, Ashley was honored with the Spirit of St. Martin de Porres Award, given to the graduate who best exemplifies the CRSM mission academically and as a person for others. She is a College Bound Opportunities Scholar and was a regular volunteer at Feed My Starving Children, the Northern Illinois Food Bank pop-up distributions and Beacon Place and served as a senior class representative.

Recently, Ashley shared her “day in the life of a freshman” experience. Check out her Instagram Takeover on YouTube.

Northwestern, Colorado College, Middlebury – Acceptances Starting to Stream In!

Northwestern, Colorado College, Middlebury – Acceptances Starting to Stream In!

From a full-ride Posse Scholarship to Middlebury College to Northwestern University, Colorado College, University of Chicago and other top-tier colleges across the country early acceptances and scholarship offers are on a roll for CRSM seniors this month.

“There is a lot of excitement on the college front, including the fact that students are now about to go to in-person visits and we’ve got some standout onsite college experiences planned next summer at colleges across the country,” said Sharon Holdvogt, college counselor. “This is wonderful because one of our goals is to let students know that college is an option and to make sure that option is available for them.”

Official signing day for colleges and universities is May 1, but early standout acceptances include University of Chicago, Augustana, Lake Forest, Beloit College, DePaul and DePauw Universities Loras, St. Louis University and Washington University. Stay tuned, more to come.

100% of CRSM Graduates Accepted to a 4-Year Bachelor’s Program for the Third Year in a Row

100% of CRSM Graduates Accepted to a 4-Year Bachelor’s Program for the Third Year in a Row

From Brown University and Northwestern University to other prestigious institutions such as Stanford, Boston, Fairfield and St. Louis universities, 100% of the Class of ’22 has been accepted to four-year colleges.

On Friday, April 29, the seniors celebrated National College Decision Day, submitting their acceptances to the colleges and universities of their choice.

When Evelyn G. joins her classmates to walk across the graduation stage May 28, she will have plenty to celebrate. The 17-year-old will be the first in her family to attend college, when she joins a select cohort of five students awarded Loyola University’s Cristo Rey Scholarship. The scholarship covers most academic and living expenses.

“I’m excited to join another Cristo Rey family,” says Evelyn who will begin a 5-year bachelor’s and master’s program in social work. “I learned so much here through volunteering at the food bank, the vaccine clinic and soup kitchen about helping others and want to have a career helping others who struggle.

Other colleges and universities CRSM graduates will be attending include: Boston, Carthage, Grinnell, Holy Cross and Lake Forest colleges, and Johns Hopkins University Boston University and the University of Illinois.

“Today was especially exciting because we haven’t been able to host a celebration in three years,” says Lori Felix, College Counselor. “It’s fun to see the students hang out with their friends and enjoy the last few moments of their time together. We’re especially proud because so many of them are going to their dream schools. Affordability is always at the forefront, so we’re blessed that they are getting the backing to go.”

College Fair Helps Students Decide Their Future

College Fair Helps Students Decide Their Future

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.