SVC President Father Paul Taylor to visit Cristo Rey schools

LATROBE, PA — Father Paul Taylor, O.S.B., C’87, S’91, president of Saint Vincent College, continues to grow the strong partnership with the Cristo Rey Network (CRN) with visits to several Cristo Rey schools in Virginia, California and Illinois in October and November.

During the visits, the students at Cristo Rey schools will learn about the academic and co-curricular programs of Saint Vincent. Father Paul will also meet with Cristo Rey leadership to strengthen the partnership between the CRN and Saint Vincent with the goal of offering the best opportunities to the students.

“We want principals, administrators, coaches and others to have more time getting to know Father Paul and learning more about Saint Vincent College,” said Dwight Collins Jr., C’23, G’25, manager of strategic partnerships at Saint Vincent.

Visits include:

• Cristo Rey Richmond High School in Richmond, Virginia.
• Cristo Rey De La Salle East Bay High School in Oakland, California. This school will be hosting students, faculty and staff from Cristo Rey San Jose Jesuit High School and ICA Cristo Rey Academy (San Francisco) during the visit.
• Verbum Dei Jesuit High School in Los Angeles. This school will host Cristo Rey Orange County High School (Santa Ana) during the visit.
• Cristo Rey San Diego High School.
• Cristo Rey Jesuit High School and Christ the King Jesuit College Preparatory School in Chicago, Illinois.

Saint Vincent began this partnership with CRN—a national network of Catholic college preparatory high schools—in 2021. The partnership supports outstanding postsecondary outcomes for highly motivated and well-prepared Cristo Rey alumni, helping to advance the Cristo Rey mission of “transforming urban America one student at a time.”

“With the University Partnership agreement, we are able to make Saint Vincent affordable to all Cristo Rey students,” said Collins, who serves as the College’s Cristo Rey representative. Father Paul will also have lunch with students during the school visits.

“[Father Paul] wants to build relationships with students,” Collins said, “and if the student does decide to commit to SVC, then they can share that they had the opportunity to meet the president at their high school before coming to SVC in the fall.”

Saint Vincent College on July 31 received the Schools’ Choice Award for Outstanding Cristo Rey Network University Partner during the annual Cristo Rey Summit on College Success in St. Louis. Selected by 40 Cristo Rey schools across 24 states, this award “recognizes the University Partner that has made a significant impact on students and schools through deep engagement, generous financial aid support and meaningful college access opportunities,” CRN officials said in July.