Alumni Profiles

Emilio Joubert
Notre Dame Cristo Rey '15
Georgetown University '19
Bachelor's in Italian

"My Cristo Rey experience was life changing. I don’t use that term lightly either. Cristo Rey got me through the hardest years of my life and I am so thankful for the support that they showed me. Cristo Rey taught me how to create opportunity from very little - it showed me that believing in someone can unleash their true potential. Cristo Rey believing in me was the most important thing that could have happened during my teenage years. I will always look back at my time there fondly."

Sephorah Pierre
Christ the King Preparatory School '12
St. Michael's College '16
Bachelor of Science in Biology

"The biggest element that stood out was obviously why I chose the school. No one else around me went to work once a week. I was eager to get my foot in the door. What I really appreciated about my corporate experience is that they didn’t treat me like an intern. They treated me like I had a purpose. There were things that I was doing that I felt mattered, that mattered to the business."

What would you say to a student considering a Cristo Rey education?
"I would tell them, although it is not the typical high school, you will not regret the experience four years later. When you graduate from a Cristo Rey school it has meaning. In my community, saying I graduated from Christ the King meant something. You will definitely find the experience worthwhile in the long run. You’ll see, you’ll absolutely love that you went to Cristo Rey."

Guillermo Cruz
Cristo Rey Jesuit - Chicago '03
DePaul University '15

Guillermo Cruz is a great example of the long term impact of a Cristo Rey education. After graduation he matriculated to a local two-year community school and worked hard and successfully transferred to DePaul University. While at Cristo Rey and throughout college, he worked for Aon. After graduating from DePaul, Aon offered him a full-time position. “I get to work with clients such as Live Nation, who organize mainstream concerts and having had great relationships ever since my high school years with people inside the corporate offices, working in the H.R. department and going back during my school breaks, I didn’t have any doubt this was the place where I wanted to work.” Guillermo earns more than his parents have ever made in a year and his dream is to buy them their first home.

He also remains active in the Cristo Rey Jesuit Chicago community, from helping to develop the school’s Alumni Network to coaching the flag football team in the fall and boy’s volleyball in the spring. “It is our responsibility as alumni of Cristo Rey to come back to this school and become a helping hand to current students…so that the students can look up to us and say: ‘I want to be like him or her one day!'"

"Like many other Cristo Rey graduates I was the first in my family to graduate from college. Upon graduating, I began working with elders in a non-profit in my hometown Lawrence, MA. From my work with them, I discovered my love for the elderly and helping others. I also learned after graduating college, that education does not end after a bachelor’s degree. In the coming months, I will be preparing to take the MCAT and apply to medical school this June. My ultimate goal will be to have a career in medicine that involves traveling to Africa among other continents and/or working with elders."

"Cristo Rey helped me understand that I could go to college and eventually reach my dream of becoming an attorney. Cristo Rey guided me by assigning me to work at law firms once a week and seeing what my future life could be like. Those experiences truly helped me with my resume for college and even helped me with my resume for law school."

Through the Corporate Work Study Program, Saul worked at BMO Harris Bank where he developed his passion for business. He is currently a senior at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, a Cristo Rey University Partner.

“The more time and effort you put into something, the more success will come along the way.”

This mindset started when Becerra worked at BMO Harris Bank. This led Becerra to major in finance at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, where he attends on a full-ride scholarship through the First Generation Initiative (FGI) program. “This semester I’m taking entrepreneurial finance and learning different viewpoints in the financial industry.”

Becerra would like to continue gaining experience with different financial institutions to find his career calling. Becerra firmly believes he has the qualifications to succeed in the financial world. “One thing is that I know how to conduct myself professionally around individuals and help guide them through their financial process whether it is in the risk management side of finance or the investment side of finance.”

He was recently featured in the Voices of Cristo Rey blog.

My four years at Cristo Rey Sacramento High School were an enriching and rewarding experience that I would not trade for anything. Because of the unique work study component of the curriculum, I not only learned academics that prepared me for college, but also matured and gained confidence by working alongside health professionals. I had the great privilege of working at Sutter Medical Center for four years, which exposed me to the health care field and cemented my interest in a medical profession.

Seeing “Dr. Singh” in emails addressed to me is surreal; as a freshman, I never dreamed of graduating at the age of 23 with a doctorate, let alone two degrees! But I can say with absolute faith that Cristo Rey is what helped make this into a reality—by allowing me to spread my wings, step out of my shell, and mature into the health professional that I am today. My teachers and coworkers were always there when I needed them, and by my senior year, I knew that they would remain lifelong friends and mentors.

She was recently featured in Voices of Cristo Rey.

"My Cristo Rey experience was life-changing. Overall I learned a lot about myself. That is the most important thing I could take away from the experience, besides a diploma...I bring Verbum Dei with me wherever I go.”

After graduating from Georgetown University, Dominique started work at Morgan Stanley where he is currently a Wealth Advisor, Financial Planning Specialist. He has been with Morgan Stanley for five years, where he also serves on two Diversity & Inclusion Councils. Dominique is the Founder of The DJ|JD Foundation, a nonprofit focused on financial literacy in inner city communities, providing scholarships and teaching principles on financial independence. He was recently featured in the Voices of Cristo Rey blog.

Karis Harris
Cristo Rey Jesuit - Baltimore '11
Stevenson University '15
Bachelor of Arts in Human Services

"My mother and I chose Cristo Rey because we believed it would provide me with the best foundation to be great and also a one-of-a-kind education. I built lasting relations with friends, teachers, and administrators. I was introduced to the corporate and professional world at a young age. I received a college ready education that helped me to excel and be as successful as I was at Stevenson. And I had fun in between. Cristo Rey helped me to realize who I was as a person and began the molding process for the woman I am becoming today."

Karis graduated from Cristo Rey Jesuit High School - Baltimore and continued her education at Stevenson University, having received a scholarship throughout her four years. She is about to embark on a career as a case manager at INNterim Housing Corporation, fulfilling her dream to help others. She will be working with homeless women and children, as they achieve their own education and career goals.

She was featured in Voices of Cristo Rey.