Page 21 - SPIRIT-Fall2017

CORPORATE
WomanofHeart PARTNERS
I nitiative

graduation ceremonies and talk about
their futures.
Empowered intellectually, spiritually and morally, graduates What are the most challenging aspects Calling All College-age Alumnae and Prospective Companies!
serve as responsible members of the global community. of your work?
The most challenging aspects of Plan now to participate in Cor Jesu’s
Erin Thiemann ’09 my job are the systemic barriers that ALUMNAE I.N.C. NETWORKING EVENT ON JANUARY 4, 2018!
our families face each and every day.
“The common good embraces the sum How and when did your passion for ser- Institutionalized racism has created a Last January, we launched the first Cor Jesu Alumnae I.N.C. (Internship Networking Connections), a program designed to
total of all those conditions of social life vice take root? facilitate connections between our college-aged alumnae, and organizations seeking candidates for internships. Of the 23
which enable individuals, families and My passion for service took root wealth gap in this country that is par- companies and over 50 students who participated, nearly one-third of CJ alumnae obtained a summer internship through
organizations to achieve complete and ticularly palpable in St. Louis, and we this first-of-its-kind program!
effective fulfillment.” during CJ’s senior service at City see the differences in wealth for black
-Pope John XXIII Academy. Immediately after college, I “The INC program gave me the opportunity to connect with an organization I would have otherwise not had access to or
Working for the common good has inspired began two years with an AmeriCorps and white families very starkly in our even known about,” stated Katherine Tarlas ’15. “My internship this past summer with World Pediatric Project was empower-
ing and engaging. I was given the responsibility of coordinating an event and was held accountable for its success which
Erin Thiemann for myriad years. After gradu- program called City Year. I worked region. Families in our public schools provided me with firsthand experience. This made the experience so much more than taking direction from others because
ating from Cor Jesu in 2009, she has worked in the city are working multiple jobs I gained more knowledge and skills in my field of study.”
to “enable individuals, families and organi- in Milwaukee Public Schools, where I in order to not only put food on the
zations to achieve complete and effective learned that as much as we need good With several new organizations already on board for 2018, and this year’s exciting addition of permanent entry-level op-
fulfillment,” by majoring in International teachers, we also need people who table, but to create a future out of a portunities, we expect I.N.C. to be bigger and better than ever! And we are always on the lookout for new connections to
Affairs from Marquette University in 2012, meager paycheck. The other chal- offer our high-caliber alumnae. If you work for an organization that may be interested in accessing potential hires from this
earning an M.S.W. from Washington Univer- are working on system-level change. lenge is how inaccessible the financial pool of amazing young women, please let us know!
sity in St. Louis in 2016 and serving others in Our students were working hard to
work and volunteer capacities today. learn concepts like multiplication mainstream has been and continues Important dates to put on your calendar:
As the College Savings Account Coordi- to be. We are so lucky to have a great Ongoing (Opened September 18):
nator with the City of St. Louis Treasurer’s tables, but when their families were partner in our credit union, 1st Fi-
Office, Erin runs College Kids, a program that in crisis, those kids were just trying Registration is open for college-aged CJ alumnae.
provides a children’s savings account for to get through the day. After Ameri- nancial, for working with us to create College-aged CJ alumnae complete the online registration form and upload their résumé within career category(ies)
every kindergartner in a public and charter a program for all families, regardless of their choosing by logging on to www.corjesu.org/INC.
school within the city of St. Louis. Because Corps, I got my a master’s degree in of immigration status or English lan-
only three percent of Missouri families social work at Washington University October–December 2017:
were saving for college, the City of St. Louis because I knew I wanted to pursue a guage ability. CJ alumnae and corporations/organizations view the I.N.C. web page at www.corjesu.org/INC for matches
Treasurer’s Office, in 2015, launched College How did Cor Jesu help prepare you to and begin contacting one another.
Kids to jumpstart college savings plans for career in public service. “transform the world through your
families. Thanks to the success of the pro- What have you found to be the most im- faith, compassion, integrity and impas- January 4, 2018: Networking Event at Cor Jesu
gram and Erin’s outreach, more than 10,000 portant and rewarding aspects of your sioned service”?
St. Louis students in kindergarten, first and work with College Kids, Head Start and CJ alumnae and corporations/organizations meet at Cor Jesu to make one-on-one contact and pursue next steps.
second grades now have a college-savings the Child Development Account Task In the same way that Cor Jesu In addition to networking with organizations, this event will include professional advice from experts, via small break-out
fund. Force? fosters a college-attendance culture, sessions and one-on-one professional coaching sessions. There is something for everyone, so plan to attend!
But working as the College Savings Ac- CJ nurtures a norm of service. Every 2:00–2:30 p.m.
count Coordinator is not Erin’s only role. In I would have to say, it would be
addition to her career, Erin volunteers as a working with our families. There are senior has the opportunity to experi- Welcome and Keynote speaker: Maxine Clark
financial coach for parents of children in a so many families in St. Louis who want ence full-time service, even if it’s just Founder of Build-A-Bear Workshop and CEO/CO-FOUNDER of The Clark/Fox Family Foundation
Head Start program and serves on the Child for a finite amount of time. Without 2:30–4:30 p.m.
Development Account Task Force with the to send their kids to college but have • Networking with Participating Organizations (see www.corjesu.org/INC for a complete list)
Archdiocesan Peace and Justice Commis- no idea how to navigate the system, let having served at a charter school in
sion. She also alone pay for college. It’s humbling to the city my senior year, I very likely • One-on-one coaching sessions (30 minutes each), providing information on résumé-writing
coaches volleyball would not be working for the Trea- techniques, interview skills, networking and more
teams in her spare see how hard parents are working to • Three 20-minute breakout sessions (each will be repeated three times throughout the afternoon):
time. make ends meet, much less thinking surer’s Office. Being a student at CJ
In an email meant being part of a community. 1.) What Millennials Bring to the Workplace
interview, Erin about starting a college fund for their And service is just one way to become 2.) The Power of Social Media and Using LinkedIn Effectively
shared how her children, even if they weren’t able to 3.) Discerning Your Future – How gifts and talents translate to future careers
affinity for service finish school themselves. Everyone we part of a new community.
took root and work with in our office truly wants a Anything else you would like to add: Whether your major is “undecided” or you’re ready to be hired, you won’t want to miss this amazing opportunity
what it means for to learn and network in the beautiful new CJ Commons!
her to continue better life for their children. Because Let’s get more women in city gov- Be sure to put January 4, 2018, on your calendar! We look forward to “connecting” with you!
the work of social our program serves such young fami- ernment! Your tax dollars pay govern-
justice. For more information, visit www.corjesu.org/INC or contact
lies, it’s always exciting to watch our ment employee salaries...wouldn’t Patty Ferrara ’85, Director of Alumnae Relations, at pferrara@corjesu.org or 314.842.4429, ext. 266.
students light up at their kindergarten you like for it to be a Cor Jesu grad?
18 COR JESU ACADEMY