On May 19, six seniors from Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School will graduate with the rest of the school’s inaugural class of 125 students after successfully completing their internship at Lenbrook, Atlanta’s premier Life Plan Community located in Buckhead.

Between 2015-2018, Annessa Lipford, Melanie Mata, Monica Epps, Autumn Smith, Zaire Williamson and Sandra Noumadji were a part of student teams of four who worked closely with Lenbrook’s associates in the Marketing, Human Resources, Concierge, and Enrichment Departments, and with associates in the Health Center over a school year. In addition to providing business experiences, Lenbrook added “Mentoring Mondays” to the interns’ schedules: each student was paired with a resident to get to know each other over lunch and talk about career choices and life experiences.

Lenbrook has partnered with Cristo Rey Atlanta since 2015, bringing the total number of interns to serve at Lenbrook to 12. The students fit five days of high school into four so they can intern one day per week. The weekly scheduling is a part of the school's unique Corporate Work Study Program, which helps economically challenged students offset the cost of their tuition.        

"These students bring a curiosity for learning that's contagious," said Felecia Sveda, Vice President of Operations-Hospitality for Lenbrook. "We learn as much from them as they learn from us, especially regarding online technologies, and we hope that their Lenbrook experience has opened their eyes to a rewarding field that is booming with opportunity as the Baby Boomer generation continues to enter retirement."