College & Career Persistence Program

High School Transition

Post-High School Transition

Career Transition

Career Transition

Entering the Workforce

CJA alumni follow many paths to meaningful employment: they have enlisted in the military, enrolled in graduate school, become tradesmen and begun careers in social work, finance and education. CJA defines meaningful employment as having meaning and purpose in your position, opportunities for upward mobility and resources that help build the foundation for your financial goals.

Support for Alumni as They Transition to Careers

Professional Networking

CP Counselors connect alumni to professionals to pinpoint career goals and expand networks.

Mock Interviews

CP Counselors and volunteers work with alumni to mimic the interview setting and make sure the alum shines.

Professional Writing Support

CP Counselors work closely with alumni on their resumes, cover letters and professional writing skills.

Financial Planning

CP Counselors work with alums to build personal budgets that meet their financial goals.

Alumni Events

CP Counselors host alumni on campus for one-on-one meetings and for group events like the annual alumni reunion.

Emergency Funds

An emergency fund enables us to support one-time payments such as a cell phone bill to enable an alum to communicate with potential employers.

Career Readiness Summer Fellowship

The McIntosh Fellowship is a summer program serving alumni who are at many different stages of their careers. The Fellowship helps alumni think about their personal strengths and how to use those strengths when choosing a career. In past years, fellowship attendees have included alumni at four-year colleges, alumni at two-year colleges, alumni in trades programs and an alumnus pursuing his GED.

The Fellowship program typically runs for four weeks during the summer. All participating alumni receive a stipend to reflect their commitment to the program. College & Career Persistence (CP) Counselors and mentors work with alumni as they set clear goals; refine their writing, networking and personal finance skills and cultivate their professional networks.

As part of the program, CP also offers guest speakers, field trips to local companies, pairs each alumnus with a writing mentor and a financial planning mentor and organizes one-on-one mock interviews.

Employment Opportunities

The College & Career Persistence (CP) team helps alumni find meaningful employment in the field they are interested in after they have graduated from college, a training program or high school. We define meaningful employment by looking at three main categories: forward path, meaning and purpose, and financial balance.

Internships

As we work with our alumni to chart their career paths, the CP Team facilitates internships in a variety of fields in Chicago. Current and past internship placements have included: Cooney & Conway, Wintrust Financial Corporation, The Heico Companies, Navman Wireless, Tegus and Walsh Construction.

Start of Careers

Alumni who have graduated college have found jobs or are studying at DePaul Law School, City Year, HUB International, Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, Morningstar, Viacom and Wintrust Financial. Alumni who attend trade or certificate programs or move directly to careers after high school have found jobs at employers such as Capital Chimney, McHugh General Contracting, Jewel-Osco, O’Hare Airport and Panera.

Hire a CJA Alum

Chicago Jesuit Academy is interested in forming partnerships that can lead to internships and permanent job opportunities for our alumni. Please reach out to Meg Mortensen, Vice President College & Career Persistence, at [email protected] if you would like to consider building a hiring relationship with CJA.