Corner Health Supports Successful CWSP Students

11/21

Can you imagine pairing a student’s passion with direct employment experiences that align with their program of study? With the right level of guidance and mentorship, the results can be phenomenal! We are grateful to have incredible partners like the Corner Health Center that make our Community Work-Study Program dynamic and engaging. The Corner Health Center (CHC) is a non-profit health center that serves youth ages 12-25 years old (and their children). CHC has served this community for 40 years and enhanced services over the years to provide quality comprehensive care. Kamilah Davis-Wilson serves as the Community Outreach and Education Manager and the Internship Coordinator for CHC. Kamilah said, “We are indeed more than a “clinic” in that we are a health center that offers medical care for youth and young adults, with or without insurance. In addition to fabulous clinic staff (doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, medical assistants, etc.), we have licensed social workers to provide mental health services along with some support groups. We also provide support and education services such as care management, nutrition support, a food pantry, and health education programs.”

With so many services and programs, it’s easy to identify where a work-study student could learn while providing support. According to Kamilah, “Work-study students can serve as a Corner Store Coordinator, Communications and Graphic Design, Front Desk Representative, Student Office Manager, and the Corner is even looking for a Social Media Coordinator.” In these positions, students are able to cultivate and refine skills such as team building, time management, leadership development, non-profit education, and more. Are you interested to learn how the Community Work-Study Program has benefitted CHC? Kamilah shared, “the partnership has allowed us to gain student knowledge and expertise in topics that are fresher in their heads. In addition, it has given us some additional manpower to work on different projects for the organization. So, the partnership has a double benefit; we provide students with an experience that they will be able to use in their careers, and they assist us in working on and completing different projects for our organization.”

While this can be a very beneficial experience, it requires effort and energy from both parties to make it fruitful. From Kamilah’s experience, she said, “If an organization does not have the ability or passion for working with students and meeting them where they are, the experience for both parties may not be worth it. I love working with students; I love teaching students what I know as well as learning from the students. So, if organizations have an opportunity that they believe a student can gain something from, this partnership would be great.” When both parties are invested in each other and the work they are doing together, the results are electric! “These students are all amazing in their own way. It is great when they teach me things that either I didn't know or have changed over time. I must say, I have learned something from each work-study student that I have supervised. It is amazing to see that what they learn in their coursework can many times be applied to the work that we do at the Corner.”

We are truly grateful to the community partners, like Corner Health Center, that provide meaningful opportunities for our students to grow not only as students but professionally as well.

For more information on our community work-study program, please visit our website.