Career
Corporate Partners Initiative (CPI)
Summer Programming
Internships and Externships
School Year Programming
Beginning in April, 2013 Cor Jesu Academy embarked upon a new academic frontier which enables students to explore beyond classroom walls and open doors to hands-on learning and future career discovery.
Originally focused solely on STEM, CPI partnerships now represent a wide and continually expanding variety of career areas open to both current students and CJA alumnae in college.
In addition to enhancing and expanding Cor Jesu’s classroom and curriculum goals, CPI provides a dynamic offering of programs, internships and academic support exclusive to Cor Jesu Academy.
For more information about Cor Jesu’s Corporate Partners Initiative, contact Cynthia Wilhelm, Career, College and Wellness Center Director at cwilhelm@corjesu.org or at 314.842.4429 ext. 235.
exp3: EXPosure, EXPerience, EXPloration
exp3: exposure, experience, exploration
Open to students at every grade level, the exp3 program allows Cor Jesu students to spend a full day immersed in a career experience of their choice, interacting with professionals on site and participating in hands-on activities at one of over 30 locations. This exceptional day of discovery and learning is exclusive to Cor Jesu Academy.
exp3 2023 will take place on Monday, October 16. Student registration is currently closed. If you have any questions, you may contact Cynthia Wilhelm at cwilhelm@corjesu.org
Summer Business Experience (SBE)
The Summer Business Experience will be held June 5 - 9, 2023.
Corporate partners from various areas within the business sector team up for this exciting five-day immersion into the study and practice of business. Open to 20 rising juniors and seniors, the week actively engages participants as it illuminates understanding about what majoring in business at the college level looks like, and how individual majors apply to eventual careers.
Mon-Thurs of the week is hosted by a different SBE partner and targets key focus areas, utilizing experiential learning techniques and allowing students the opportunity to actively engage with professionals, as they consider real world business scenarios. Throughout the week, student teams are mentored by professional coaches who facilitate activities that apply daily presentation content and guide students’ exploration and discovery. Friday wraps up the week with student presentations and lively discussion to aid students in drawing conclusions about themselves and the week’s learnings.
Summer Engineering Experience (SEE)
In its 10th year, the Summer Engineering Experience will be held June 5-9, 2023
SEE how you can experience engineering before going to college!
Each June, corporate partners from the engineering industry collaborate to provide 20 rising juniors and seniors a 5-day immersion in the field of engineering. Innovative activities and presentations promote student discovery and exploration over a variety of industry disciplines.
Each day highlights a different engineering discipline through hands-on activities and in-depth interactions with professionals, allowing students to discover and explore all that being an engineer can mean. Students debrief with an accompanying CJ STEM faculty member throughout the week, applying program content to real world challenges. The week concludes with student presentations and discussion to help distill the week’s learnings and guide students’ continuing discovery.
Summer Medicine Experience
In its premier year, the Summer Medicine Experience will be held June 5-9, 2023
Take a deep dive into the world of medicine!
Cor Jesu's exciting Summer Medicine Experience (SME) is an experiential learning adventure designed for 20 rising juniors and seniors interested in pursuing careers in medicine.
A team of physicians from various specialties will offer students valuable information about the road to medical school and what lies beyond. Individual and small-group shadowing opportunities will provide hands-on learning and valuable personal engagement with professionals. This exciting week will conclude with a panel of physicians for Q&A, shared insights from the week and a fun group lunch.
Blue Stars Therapy Internships
Blue Stars Therapy offers early intervention services, providing Occupational Therapy, Speech Language Therapy, and Behavioral Therapy for young children, aged 0-5 years, with autism and other developmental delays. Guided by the belief that each of their clients is a “star” and possesses unique strengths and qualities, BST’s mission is to unlock the developmental potential of each child through a positive, sustained connection between caregiver and child. Interns will work a part-time, flexible schedule and have the opportunity to gain experience in an early intervention setting, working alongside a variety of professional therapists. This opportunity is open to Cor Jesu rising seniors and recent graduates who are interested in pursuing careers in early childhood development or in one of the therapy services offered.
The International Companies Internships
The International Companies, a local, family-owned, multi-million dollar corporation with numerous research, manufacturing and distributing divisions within the food industry, offers two paid summer internships (late May through early August) for graduating Cor Jesu seniors. Learning modules within key subject areas are supported by various International Companies’ teams and each involve instruction, independent study, hands-on activities and reporting. Applications are accepted in February of each year and require a completed application form, a 300 words or less essay on a provided prompt and a scheduled interview with the International Companies’ selection team.
Business and Entrepreneurial: This internship is specifically designed to provide practical professional business exposure, entrepreneurial insights and hands-on experience to young women interested in pursuing the study of business at the college level. To qualify for consideration, applicants must have successfully completed the Cor Jesu Summer Business Experience (SBE).
Food Science: This internship provides one exceptional student the opportunity to probe deeply into the field of both human and animal food science, working side by side with industry professionals and gaining real world experience.
Kersting Veterinary Externship
Established by Dr. David J. Kersting in 1992, the Kersting Veterinary Clinic provides exceptional health care for exotic animals, including birds, small mammals and reptiles, as well as canine and feline patients. Committed to the support of students interested in pursuing a veterinary education, Kersting Veterinary Hospital offers one summer externship for a rising Cor Jesu senior. During the externship, the selected student follows a veterinarian during clinical appointments with patients, during hospital treatments, diagnostic testing and surgery. She also learns patient restraint in order to assist with clinic appointments. The externship consists of a 40-hour work week during one week of the summer.
St. Louis Pain Consultants Internship
St. Louis Pain Consultants, one of the leading and most trusted pain management facilities in the St. Louis area, specializes in treating the causes of chronic pain. Passionate about helping their clients become whole again and committed to supporting education, St. Louis Pain Consultants offers one paid, part-time (18-20hrs/week) summer internship. This opportunity is open to Cor Jesu students interested in pursuing a career in healthcare who will have just completed their junior year or just graduated from Cor Jesu. Working closely with medical professionals, internship responsibilities include, but are not limited to, updating client medical records, transcription of client voicemails and direct client interactions, as well as potential for clinical observation.
Engineering Summer Camp Scholarships
Through the generosity of Watlow, two scholarships ($600 each) are available for any current Cor Jesu student interested in learning more about engineering by attending a summer camp at the Missouri University of Science and Technology (formerly University of Missouri-Rolla) or SLU Parks College. Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from the Rolla, MO campus or SLU Parks College. Requirements for scholarship applications are as follows:
•Letter of recommendation from one faculty member
•Written essay (300-500 words) explaining how a Cor Jesu graduate could live out the school mission to transform the world within the field of engineering
•Cor Jesu transcript (SLU Parks College camps only)
After attending camp, scholarship recipients will be required to write a follow up essay, recounting their camp experience and sharing specific ways in which the experience has influenced her thinking about the field of engineering.
Completed applications, inclusive of faculty letter of recommendation and written essay, must be submitted to the Cor Jesu CCW office by February 24, 2023.
Awardees will be notified by March 24, 2023.
Questions? Contact Cynthia Wilhelm, Career, College and Wellness Center Director: (314) 842-4429 ext. 235 or cwilhelm@corjesu.org
"The camp I attended helped me to see what mechanical engineers do on a daily basis and the opportunities that I would have as an engineer in that field. When I arrived, I saw that out of the twenty one campers only three were girls. I saw that there is a great need for women in the field of engineering. This camp has really opened my eyes and shown me the benefits of being an engineer and how I, as an engineer could develop products to help those around the world”
former Camp Scholarship Attendee, Morgan
Career Day
Career Day, which takes place bi-annually, provides a valuable opportunity for Cor Jesu students to learn more about themselves and their future. Freshman and sophomore students are guided through engaging activities that promote self-discovery, future career considerations and valuable insights into the college search process. Juniors and seniors spend their time in conversation with Cor Jesu alumnae who return to campus to share their professional expertise and insights across a wide variety of careers. In groups of 8-10, upperclassmen engage with alumnae professionals in an exciting exchange of information and Q&A.
Career Day not only opens doors to a future of possibilities; it offers a meaningful forum for students and alumnae to strengthen and grow the bond of sisterhood they share.
Independent Science Research (ISR)
Designed for juniors and seniors who possess a strong interest in pursuing science as a career, this hands-on course allows Cor Jesu students to work directly with a professional mentor from industry and academic sectors. Students choose a topic, write a research proposal, perform their own research and process data. Each participant is required to enter her project in the Honors Division of the St. Louis Science Fair and to present her research at various area symposia. Academic and industry partners Washington University and SSM St. Joseph Health Center have partnered with Cor Jesu to outfit the research lab with state-of-the-art equipment, exceptional in a high school environment. Mentors from Danforth Plant Science Center, Monsanto and Washington University provide student guidance. Click here to watch students in the ISR program describe their experiences.
INC: Internship, Networking, Connections
Designed to match college-aged alumnae with substantive internship and employment opportunities through relationships with CJA corporate partners. The event is held in the CJA Student Commons where various organizations set-up booths in a career fair style. Some of the organizations' representatives are even Cor Jesu alumnae! This is a fantastic opportunity to begin networking and jump-start your career!
This year's event will be held Thursday, January 4, 2024, in the Student Commons from 2-5 p.m.