The anxious scramble to find a student worker position is a feeling experienced by many college students. On-campus positions, of course, often take precedence over off-campus ones.
However, there are a number of off-campus job opportunities affiliated with the Financial Aid Office that offer the same opportunities for federal work study and a chance to make a difference in the Nashville community.
One of these places is the Christian Women’s Job Corps (CWJC), a non-profit housed downtown in First Baptist Church. The CWJC specializes in teaching impoverished women valuable job skills in the hopes of creating a better future for them.
The women are placed into classes that teach courses in areas such as GED test preparation, computer skills or conversational English. Tutors in these classes are always needed, and college students have the opportunity to apply for this position and hopefully give back to those who did not have the same educational advantages.
The CWJC’s ministry is not limited to adults. The majority of the women involved in the program have children that need to be looked after as well. This is where most college students, including four students from Lipscomb, are employed.
The youth in the program range from three months old to about 12. Although the age gap is wide, the basic goal remains the same.
The job involves genuinely connecting with the children, building relationships and being a Christ-like example. This is not your usual babysitting job. These kids often come from broken homes and are constantly surrounded by a culture that promotes destructive behaviors.
Those who work with this non-profit have the opportunity to have a positive impact on inner city youth who they most likely would not have encountered otherwise. Being an example of Christ’s love is not simply limited to actions, students also have the opportunity to participate in Bible lessons and activities.
Most student jobs involve sitting behind a desk and are thought to be separate from community service.
A job at CWJC and other places connected with Lipscomb’s Financial Aid office can take care of both of those needs. College employees get that much needed paycheck as well as the opportunity to make a valuable impact in the community.