May 25, 2023

Preston Kendall, President, Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep

Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep is a co-sponsored ministry of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus.

During her salutatorian speech eight years ago, Anissa Garza shared that graduating from Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep (CRSM) was a triumph for her whole family. Today, these words still resound loud and clear. Anissa’s life and those of her siblings have been shaped and transformed by the support of the CRSM community. Now 26 years old, Anissa is in her first year of a clinical psychology doctoral program and is a research assistant at the University of Memphis. A former Schuler scholar, her LinkedIn is a checklist of many achievements. Anissa graduated from Bates College in Lewiston, MA, with a dual degree in psychology and religious studies. While at Bates, Anissa was a Bonner Program scholar. She also was the recipient of the Harvard Award for Outstanding Community Volunteerism and Student Leadership. For the last three years, she has been a research assistant at the National Center for PTSD in Boston.

During the same time, her mom, Elida, “Ellie,” was promoted from the head of food services at Waukegan High School to Assistant Food Service Director for the entire Waukegan school district. Her brother, Raul, CRSM ’19 and Promise Scholar, is graduating in May from Marion University in Fond du Lac, WI, with a psychology degree. Her youngest brother, Daniel, is about to enter high school. Her father, who struggled with employment when Anissa was in high school, is a foreman at a local landscaping company.

Congratulations to the Garza family and CRSM for contributing to such a wonderful story of lives well lived! We are so very proud of all of you!