Debra De Jesus-Vizzi, a Cathedral alumna was recently featured in the National Catholic Reporter

Debra De Jesus-Vizzi was a teenager living in a group home run by the Sisters of Good Shepherd when she met investment banker Peter Flanigan, a friend of the nuns, in 1976. A firm believer in the power of quality education, he offered to send De Jesus-Vizzi to Cathedral High School and serve as her mentor. Fast forward 40 years, De Jesus-Vizzi is the executive director of  Student Sponsor Partners, the nonprofit founded by Flanigan in 1986 to address the high school dropout crisis in New York City. The organization provides students from low-income backgrounds the opportunity to receive a quality education at private high schools, mostly Catholic, and access to programs to ensure their success. Student Sponsor Partners pairs students with sponsors and mentors who offer financial support and guidance, respectively. Today, Student Sponsor Partners has more than 1,100 students attending 24 high schools located in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens.
 
Check out the full article in  National Catholic Reporter