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around campus

Career-exploration program expands exponentially Immersion: Nursing, Physician Assistant, Medicine. In Medicine Career Immersion:
Nursing, Physician Assistant, Medicine
both instances, professionals have teamed up to provide
as students look toward college and careers students with a diverse and uniquely experiential over- One of the newest EXP experiences, MEDICINE CAREER IMMERSION: NURSING,
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view of two career areas that require advanced degrees.
Whether writing closing arguments or learning to suture PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT, MEDICINE, will provide a plethora of opportunities for the
30 CJ students enrolled in the career-exploration day on November 9, which has been
on life-size model mannequins, by the end of this day coordinated by five female health professionals at Saint Louis University:
Exposure, experience, exploration...for Cor Jesu stu- cussion, questions and “journey stories” about the aca- CJ students will have gained incredible exposure to what • CATE WITTGEN, M.D. ’81, vascular surgeon, president of medical staff, SLU Hospital
dents looking to tap into hands-on career experiences demic and professional paths they had taken to arrive at may or may not be in their future. (See sidebar on Medi- • JOANNE CHAPERLO LANGAN, Ph.D. ’71, associate dean of community and
to help them hone in on their degree before they start their current position. cal Immersion Day.) clinical affairs and coordinator of disaster preparedness at SLU School of Nursing
college, the search has just gotten très easier! Thanks “The purpose of EXP ,” said CJ Director of Corpo- Cor Jesu is grateful to the 2015 EXP hosts, who are • SUZANNE DUBUQUE MAHON ’79, R.N. D.N.Sc., internal medicine professor
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to the EXP career-exploration program, up to 200 CJ rate Engagement Cynthia Wilhelm, “is to offer students sponsoring the career-exploration day for our students: • MARGARET HASSLER, M.S.N., R.N.-B.C., clinical nursing professor
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students from every grade level will have the opportu- of all grade levels meaningful exposure to a variety of ACG (Asset Consulting Group) • SR. MARY WHITE, ASCJ, M.S., P.A.-C., associate professor of physician assistant
education and former CJ science teacher
nity on November 9 – a scheduled day off – to discover careers and help them discover new areas of interest ACCESS ENGINEERING, L.L.C. As the first woman to train in vascular surgery at Harvard and the only female
the intricacies of business, engineering, medicine, law, and new talents they want to explore. On a variety of AQUATIC FITNESS, INC. member of Department of Surgery at Saint Louis University for more than 10 years,
marketing, communication, advertising, banking, inte- levels, the program is redefining ‘college preparatory’ at BARRY-WEHMILLER DESIGN GROUP, INC. Dr. Wittgen understands the demands and sacrifices of the profession, especially as a
rior design, social work, physical therapy, construction, Cor Jesu in some very innovative and exciting ways. If a THE BOEING COMPANY woman.
“At the time I considered being a surgeon,” she reflected, “I was told I would never
pharmaceuticals, young women visits four sites, over her four years at Cor BRIGHTON AGENCY be seen as equal, never have a life or time for a husband or a child. Female vascular
BMO HARRIS PRIVATE BANK
On a variety of levels, architecture and Jesu, she will be capable of a much more educated and BURNS RECOVERED SUPPORT GROUP surgeons just didn’t exist, so no one believed it was possible. Now 25% of the surgical
accurate college choice. This gives our students a true
animal health.
the program is redefining Piloted in 2012 advantage that most other high schoolers don’t have. CASTLE BUILDING GROUP faculty is female and yes, I have a life, a husband and children – including Victoria
class of 2018!
DESIGN TODAY
‘college preparatory’ within the engi- And we are incredibly grateful to the participating cor- DJM ECOLOGICAL “The EXP day at SLU is truly about possibilities,” Dr. Wittgen added. “I’ve called
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at Cor Jesu in some very neering industry, porate hosts, who offer the day free of charge – making EDWARD JONES on many of my female friends in all different medical specialities – neonatology,
pediatrics, internal medicine, infectious disease, radiology, surgery, trauma, forensic
innovative and exciting ways. and part of the Cor it accessible to all students.” EXPRESS SCRIPTS pathology – to come help on November 9. Every one of them is a leader in her field
Jesu Corporate “I learned so much about accounting,” observed one THE GUND COMPANY and believes that we need to show women what is possible to achieve as a physician.
–Cynthia Wilhelm Partners Initiative, of the students who visited Rubin Brown during last HASTINGS + CHIVETTA That’s what this is about and what I hope that CJ students will see. No student should
Director of Corporate Engagement EXP (Exposure, year’s EXP day. “It’s more than just sitting at a com- HEPLER BROOM, L.L.C. let any preconceived notion eliminate a possible career.”
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Experience, Explo- puter and calculating tax returns. You can give financial HORNER & SHIFRIN, INC. The day of medical exploration will begin in the School of Nursing, where the CJ
ration) has grown from eight engineering firms that advice, and you can audit a client’s tax return before LEWIS, RICE & FINGERSH students will take part in hands-on simulation skills for basic nursing procedures,
such as starting IVs and working with patients. In addition, several CJ alums will
hosted 39 students to 27 professional organizations even sending it to a tax accountant. I learned how a NISA INVESTMENT ADVISORS, L.L.C. also meet with the students, including pharmacy director for SLU’s Cancer Center
representing a variety of careers this year. company like Rubin Brown functions inside and outside PANERA BREAD MEGHAN INSERRA ’07; health information management specialist ALEXA KILFOY
EXP allows CJ students to choose from among a of their business, how they use their computer system ROYAL CANIN ’12; current SLU medical school students NATALIE BAUMANN ’09, JESSICA PIONTEK
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growing list of careers in corporations, professional and how accountants calculate their hours of work – RUBIN BROWN, L.L.P. ’09, KATIE FOERSTER ’10 and EMILY SIEBERT ’10; current SLU nursing student
S. M. WILSON & CO
practices and non-profit organizations. The students plus lots, lots more!” SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY: DOISY COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES, ALEXIS REILLY ’12; current SLU physician assistant student CAITI HUBER ’10; and
will spend the day immersed in that career experi- Two particularly innovative career-exploration ex- SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, SCHOOL OF NURSING SLU graduate nurse practitioner BECCA HEIMBURGER ’09 and SLU graduate nurse
JULIA MERLO ’11. The alums will be on hand to share their experiences and interests
ence – interacting with professionals, many of whom periences that have been exclusively created for EXP 3 SLU LAW in the field.
are women, and participating in real-world, hands-on day are the Law Career Immersion: Law Specialties, WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS PUBLIC AFFAIRS Throughout the day, students will learn how to suture and to apply new bioengi-
activities. Hosts provide ample time for informal dis- Judicial System, Law School; and the Medicine Career WATLOW neered skin substitutes on simulation models. Opportunities to discuss career choices
exp
and family life will be available with medical students, residents and physicians. The
members of the CSTARS (Center for Sustainment of Trauma and Readiness Skills)
The Boeing Company Horner & Shifrin, Inc. Royal Canin Rubin Brown, L.L.P. Watlow students will be provided with the basic information of trauma resuscitation from 3
team with physician assistants and surgeons, who have recently returned from tours
of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. The day will conclude with presentations of trauma
patients and the clinical pathology correlation conference conducted by the St. Louis
medical examiner.
“ I hope to learn what working in a medical career is really like,” said Jackie Laugh-
lin ’16, who has registered for EXP , “and also see how CJ alumnae have adapted
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to life in medical professions. I also hope to experience the difference between the
various pre-medical programs and determine what I might want to study in the
future. This experience is a wonderful opportunity provided by professionals and Cor

much inside the walls of school – and I think that it is amazing that CJ gives us the
opportunity to participate in these programs!”

4 COR JESU ACADEMY Jesu to help us prepare for our futures outside of the classroom. We can only learn so