by Roy Williams
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – It was a big day for Joshua Hightower.
The 16-year-old junior at Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic High was preparing to facilitate a series of meetings on sustainability with co-workers at Capstone On Campus Management. His efforts would result in a creating a company – wide report.
Conducting the meetings, held in early November, is just one of the duties Joshua does weekly at Capstone On Campus’ Birmingham headquarters in Office Park just off U.S. 280. The company is among 80-plus Birmingham area banks, law firms and other small businesses that employ students from Holy Family Cristo Rey one day a week as part of its Corporate Internship Program. Besides giving the students at the school exposure to the workplace at an early age, the corporate sponsorship allows the private Catholic school in Ensley to offer college preparatory curriculum at a discounted tuition.
Joshua said the skills he is learning at Capstone On Campus will come in handy in adulthood when he becomes an anesthesiologist. Though not a medical setting, he says the job is giving him confidence essential to success both in the classroom and in the workplace.
“It’s been a great experience,” said Joshua, who is in his first year at Holy Family Cristo Rey and began working for Capstone On Campus in August. “I’ve got great mentors, and have learned all about Microsoft Excel, Word and other computer programs. They’ve taught me how to conduct myself in the workplace.”
Capstone On Campus became a corporate sponsor at Holy Family Cristo Rey this fall after Tara Wilkinson, associate vice president, heard school President Father Alex Steinmiller talk about its student internship program at Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Hoover earlier this year. Since Capstone On Campus is involved in touching young adult lives through its management of student residence halls on 26 college campuses, including two residence halls at UAB, Ms. Wilkinson felt the Holy Family Cristo Rey internship program would be a perfect fit.
“The Board of Directors and intern supervisors made a commitment that Joshua’s experience would be tangible lessons that will benefit his future professional career, and not just be paperwork,” Ms. Wilkinson said. “We want him to learn problem solving skills, gain confidence and understand what will be expected of him in the workplace.”
Ms. Wilkinson said Joshua has been a great asset, taking care of duties that allow the company to move their processes and organization forward. Among his tasks, Joshua has done research on sustainability and written articles for the company newsletter. He also is responsible for scanning corporate checks, completing data entry, organizing technology and participating in committee work.
“Joshua is doing a terrific job,” Ms. Wilkinson said. “He is learning how to take a problem, analyze it and come up with a solution.”
Ms. Wilkinson said Capstone On Campus is looking forward to continuing its relationship with Holy Family Cristo Rey during this academic year. Located at 2001 19th St. Ensley, Holy Family Cristo Rey is a private Catholic school that offers college preparatory curriculum at a discounted tuition rate thanks to the support and generosity of corporate sponsors and donors like Capstone on Campus. Over 80 corporate sponsors in metro Birmingham provide jobs and scholarship funds for Holy Family Cristo Rey students.
Businesses interested in hiring a student intern or sponsoring a nonprofit should call Corporate Internship Program Director Kirk Mitchell at 205-253-0139 or email him at kmitchell@hfcristorey.org.
Holy Family Cristo Rey is also accepting new students for the 2014-15 school year and holding a Parent Informational meeting on Dec. 12. For more information, call Director of Admissions Beverly Dixon at (205)263-0133 or email her at bdixon@hfcristorey.org. More details are available on the school website, www.hfcristorey.org.
