Neumann University has agreed to provide scholarships of $20,000 per year for four years to two graduates of Cristo Rey High School in Philadelphia, starting with the 2016 graduating class.

Each scholarship recipient will receive $80,000 in financial assistance through four years of study at Neumann. The university will select the two students from those graduating Cristo Rey seniors who submit a scholarship application to and are accepted by Neumann.

Cristo Rey Philadelphia is a new model of private high school that opened in 2012 because of a unique partnership of local educators, businesses and universities. Cristo Rey is an independent Catholic high school for students of all faiths. It serves women and men in grades 9-12 who could not otherwise afford a private education. The curriculum combines rigorous academics with professional work experience in businesses where the students are mentored by college educated adults.

Every Cristo Rey Philadelphia student works five days per month in a real job, for real wages. They work at businesses like Comcast, Independence Blue Cross, FMC, The Philadelphia Zoo, hospitals, accounting firms, law firms, and many others. The job accelerates the students’ development, and the wages they earn fund a substantial portion of the cost of their education.

This year, there are 28 Cristo Rey high schools operating across the US, serving more than 9,000 students.