October 30, 2019

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.

by John Geis

I spoke with Jessica (CRSM ’07, Loyola University ’14) about her extended stays in the hospital during the school year and her new promotion.

Thanks for taking the time to talk. You said you enjoyed your time at Cristo Rey, but health issues made it more difficult than it should have been. Can you talk about that?

Sure. I was very sick when I was younger. It was a serious childhood illness and it took quite a while to get it under control. It landed me in the hospital for weeks at a time – but my sister helped by bringing my assignments to me so that I could keep up with the work.

It’s so impressive that you were able to do well in spite of that challenge. How did your work-study experiences go?

I loved all of my work-study jobs – payroll, accounting, and human resources. I learned how life-changing it is when an adult, in the workplace, appreciates you for a job well done. Your confidence soars. Cristo Rey enabled me to do well at school and work.

And congrats again, a degree from Loyola University and a recent promotion. Do you have any advice for our student readers?

In light of my experiences with illness, graduation delays, waiting for promotions, and finding a field I could be passionate about, I’d say: be patient. Don’t give up; you’ll get there.

Click here to read the interview.