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When he enrolled at Saint Mary’s in the fall of 2018, Adrian Mireles Mata had no way of knowing what his four years in college would eventually look like.

What he did understand was a good opportunity.

As one of 10 recipients of the Cristo Rey San Jose Annual Scholarship, Mireles Mata came to Moraga with his sights set on becoming a first-generation college graduate.

Along with the other members of that first scholarship class, Mireles Mata accomplished that goal and more during his time at Saint Mary’s. Whether that meant working multiple jobs, joining multiple clubs, or simply keeping an open mind to the possibilities of college life, the recipients of the first Cristo Rey San Jose Annual Scholarship did seemingly everything they could to maximize their time in Moraga.

For BJ Cassin ’Hon and Nick Moore ’63, those experiences offer proof of product. When the two former chairs of the Saint Mary’s Board of Trustees partnered to establish the first Cristo Rey San Jose Annual Scholarship four years ago, they didn’t necessarily do so with the intention of extending the program.

Fast forward four years and Cassin and Moore aren’t just extending the program—they are expanding it.

“I think we were both so gratified by the success,” Moore said. “It’s clear they are benefiting immeasurably from the Saint Mary’s education and environment. They all have plans for going to work or going to graduate school. These kids are on a track for success and I know they and their families really appreciate the opportunity that’s been afforded them.”

Now, the scholarship is growing. Cassin and Moore are offering 10 more scholarships for Cristo Rey students to come to Saint Mary’s and the College has committed to match that figure by fundraising for 10 more. The scholarship will now also be open to students from the newly established Cristo Rey East Bay along with ICA Cristo Rey Academy in San Francisco.

“The success of the first Cristo Rey scholarship recipients here at Saint Mary’s is a testament to their hard work and dedication combined with a great support system that started with their time at Cristo Rey,” said Saint Mary’s President Richard Plumb. “We are so pleased that Nick and BJ have committed to making these sorts of opportunities available for more students, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with the Cristo Rey network of schools.”

The Ties That Bind

The intuition shared by Cassin and Moore that the Cristo Rey High School model would prepare students for the education offered by Saint Mary’s has proven prescient. Known for their challenging curriculum and focus on work experience and spiritual preparation, the Cristo Rey schools serve economically disadvantaged students with a goal of sending every student to college.

“The fact that our classes were a bit more rigorous really prepared us for college because in college, we kind of knew how class was going to go,” Mireles Mata said. “Another thing that helped was at Cristo Rey Jesuit, we had to work one day a week. (At Saint Mary’s) I had a job in financial aid since my first semester. Being able to balance school with work was something that was very important and we knew that coming from Cristo Rey because we had already done it for four years.”

This isn’t just a simple donation for Cassin and Moore.

The two longtime supporters of Saint Mary’s have done their best to stay connected to the first class of scholarship recipients. COVID-19 kept them apart for a portion of their four years in Moraga, but a recent lunch with the soon-to-be graduates demonstrated perfectly the difference the Saint Mary’s experience can make.

“Eight of the 10 were about to graduate in four years, an amazing accomplishment given COVID and other distractions,” Cassin said. “They had their eye on the future. Many of them had ideas of what they want to do next from a job standpoint or with education. The contrast from four years ago is amazing, the maturity, growth, and wisdom is very gratifying. We walked out of that lunch a couple months ago knowing that our investment in these students had a gratifying high ROI.”

The Cristo Rey Annual Scholarship will be available for each of the next four years and will provide approximately $20,000 per student per year to cover tuition, housing, and expenses not covered by financial aid.

The pipeline between the Cristo Rey schools and SMC has grown even stronger since the establishment of the scholarship. Saint Mary’s is a corporate partner for Cristo Rey East Bay, hosting students for internships each year, and the first graduating class from Cristo Rey East Bay is set to hold its Commencement ceremony in the Saint Mary’s Chapel on June 17.

Mireles Mata is a perfect example of the possibility offered by these scholarships. In addition to maintaining his status as a full-time student and his job in the Financial Aid office, he also landed an internship at HP, Inc. during his time at SMC.

When he graduated, that HP internship turned into a full-time job for the Psychology major, and in July he’ll begin his new role as part of the company’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team.

“I remember I applied, went through two different interviews, resume, essays, and I got (the internship),” Mireles Mata said. “Three years later, I’m going to be a full-time hire. I know sometimes you might think no, it’s too good to be true but no, you’ve got to take the opportunities that you get and look for new experiences. I feel like that’s what we all did.”

For more information on how to support the Cristo Rey Bay Area Annual Scholarship, contact the Office of Strategic Partnerships & Advancement at (925) 631-4509 or visit /giving.