MIDB Partners With Cristo Rey to Enrich Both Students and the Workplace

Stepping into a professional workplace for the first time can be intimidating. But a partnership between the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain (MIDB) and Cristo Rey Jesuit High School (Cristo Rey) in Minneapolis is changing that, giving students meaningful, hands-on work experience before they even graduate high school.

Cristo Rey is part of a national network of 40 schools focused on career access, aiming to place young people in professional environments where they might not otherwise see a path for themselves. Through the school's Corporate Work Study Program, every student spends one day a week working with local businesses and nonprofits.

MIDB joined the program in 2022. Launched initially by Reynolds Anthony-Harris and Erin Healy-Rath, the partnership is now supervised by Jessica Martinez, an executive assistant and project manager, who currently manages four students ranging from sophomores to seniors.

"Our partnership reflects a shared commitment to expanding opportunity, building workforce readiness, and investing in the long-term success of young people in Minneapolis," notes Kesiah Kolbow, vice president of the Corporate Work Study Program at Cristo Rey. "Cristo Rey is grateful for the collaboration with MIDB and for the role the organization plays in providing students with real-world experience that strengthens their confidence, skills and future career aspirations."

Rather than micromanaging the interns, Martinez focuses on giving them autonomy. She intentionally creates space for them to complete tasks independently, make mistakes and learn from feedback in a low-stakes environment. Many of these assignments directly reinforce their schoolwork, translating routine tasks into practical academic skills.

"Many would be completely intimidated having to work with adults doing their real-world jobs," Martinez says. Yet, she is continually impressed by how quickly the students find their footing and see themselves as true members of the team. Looking forward, she hopes to expand the program even further—moving beyond administrative support to give students direct ownership over specialized research projects.

The practical value of this approach is obvious in Cris, who started at MIDB in the middle of his sophomore year and is now graduating. This fall, he is heading to the University of Minnesota to study architecture.

Cris’s daily responsibilities at MIDB evolved significantly over the years, culminating in a major benchmarking project. He tracked down 25 similar organizations across the country, analyzed their similarities and differences and looked for ways MIDB could stand out. He then compiled the data into a clear presentation for some of MIDB’s leaders.

“Besides this being one of the few research projects I’ve taken on myself outside of school, and even compared to the ones in school, it’s been more challenging," Cris says. "It really made me think outside of the box—I was given the freedom to choose which organizations to look at and what data to collect and analyze.”

Cris also found opportunities to connect directly with visitors. One of his favorite assignments was translating a building tour into Spanish and leading it for a group of fifteen native speakers. "It was incredibly fun and a great challenge,” he notes.

As he prepares for college, Cris is quick to point out how his time at MIDB will apply to his architecture studies, from learning how to structure deep research to navigating a people-facing environment where he will eventually work with clients.

Ultimately, though, it was the everyday culture that made the biggest impression. “I really love the people here. The community," he says. "Even if it’s talking to people during lunch. It made it a great place to work and a great experience.”