Robert Bell, CFO at Ghafari Associates, LLC, demonstrates a computer program to Deonta’ Robinson ‘08.



Four years ago this fall, the Loyola Work Experience Program (LWEP) began. The only program of its kind in the metro area, Loyola offers LWEP to enhance students’ potential for success as adults. As a component of their academic program, juniors and seniors work one day a week and one Friday a month in area businesses. This experience gives the students the opportunity to use personal and professional skills in a real-world workplace, while at the same time helping them assume part of the financial responsibility for their own education.

To better prepare our students for their various assignments, all students attended summer training for 5 days in August here at the school. This past summer's sessions included instruction in Microsoft Excel, an explanation on respect for diversity in the workplace, and training in various clerical skills. Now well into the academic year, Loyola is pleased to welcome our 2007-2008 Sponsors and thank them for outsourcing a full-or part-time position to LWEP.

The addition of LWEP to Loyola ’s academic program is making a qualitative difference in our students ’ understanding of the work world,as well as helping each young man better determine his future career potential.

If you’d like more information on LWEP, please call Sharron Solomon at (313) 861-2407 ext. 128 or email her.



Joseph Thomas ‘07 at Credit Union One: Joseph does general office work assisting with processing mail, organizing account numbers, and data inputting. "This job is good because I work with a lot of people of different races. It also gives me a nice break from the routine of classes."

The two major reasons Loyola has adopted this program are:

1. to improve its educational program by giving each student the opportunity to use the personal and professional skills acquired in the classroom in a real-world workplace environment, and

2. to help students assume part of the financial responsibility for their own education.

Employee Leasing: Businesses (Sponsors) contract with LWEP, a 501(c)(3) corporation, to fill a full-time entry-level job. Part-time jobs also are available.

• Students are employees of LWEP, not of the Sponsor.

• LWEP handles payroll, W-4, Workers’ Compensation, FICA, and other employer issues for the student.

Job Sharing: Loyola students work in 4-person teams, sharing one entry-level clerical position and covering a standard business week, Monday through Friday. Each student is assigned to work one day per week—a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or a Thursday—plus one Friday per month.

Work Hours: Students are available to work standard business hours (approximately 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).

Calendar Year with Optional Extension: Each student team is required to work throughout the academic year. In addition, a sponsor may opt to extend employment to one or more members of the work team during school holidays and summer vacation days (students keep these earnings).

Transportation: Loyola provides transportation for each student to the work site in the morning and back to the school at the end of the workday. Loyola also provides transportation for students working on school holidays and summer vacation days.
Training: LWEP provides specific job training during the school year and during a special, intensive week-long summer session. Every returning junior and senior must attend one of these two training sessions.

Student Skills: Students will generally be assigned the following tasks: filing, data entry, answering telephones, photocopying, running errands, or doing basic research. They should have a reasonable grasp of Microsoft Word and Excel.

Supervision: LWEP, in consultation with the sponsors, carefully supervises each student. The LWEP Coordinator, Sharron Solomon, and her assistant, Jonathan Clark '97, work directly with each student and his sponsor. Students are evaluated by the sponsors on a regular basis.

If you’d like more information on LWEP, please call Sharron Solomon at (313) 861-2407 ext 128 or email her.

2007-2008 Sponsors [more info here]

Archdiocese of Detroit Bodman LLP Compuware Corporation Crain Communications Inc. DTE Energy DuMouchelle Galleries Dykema Gossett, PLLC Focus:HOPE Ford Motor Company Ghafari Associates, LLC Goodwill Industries

Henry Ford Hospital Hollingsworth Logistics International Automotive Components Myasthenia Gravis Association NTH Consultants R.L. Polk & Company Think Detroit/PAL University of Detroit Mercy Wayne County Youth Development Commission

Read the Detroit news article about LWEP, here.

Read the Crain's Detroit Business article about LWEP, here.