AJ Holloway, Class of 2009
For some people community service is a chore – something they do because they must. For others it's a blessing. When AJ Holloway, a Wittenberg University junior computer science major from Columbus, Ohio, first started his community service at the Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC), he assumed it would be the former; little did he know it would turn out to be one of the most valuable experiences of his college career.
Holloway worked for two hours every day stripping computers of their parts and rebuilding them so they could work like new. He did this every day because in a few weeks time both high school students and adults alike would be using the computers to learn basic office skills. His site manager, Jaime Beasley, runs a program that teaches high school students how to build, repair and maintain their own home PCs. She also runs a program to teach adults how to use computers on a basic level: operating Windows, making Word documents and creating Power Point presentations. Holloway's job was to make sure that all of the computers were in working order before the students began to use them.
“To be honest, I didn't think the program was all that special at first,” Holloway said. “I later learned that OIC is entirely non-profit, and each of the students gets to keep a computer after they finish learning on it – that's what makes this such a great program.”
Hoping to someday become a computer science instructor himself, Holloway also found that OIC gave him the experience he needed to one day reach his goal.
“I know a lot about computers but not much about teaching,” he said. “Having the opportunity to watch and help students learn really taught me how to be a better teacher.”
Because he feels so strongly about the program, Holloway has continued to assist Beasley and her students at OIC, even though his community service requirement has been fulfilled. Wittenberg is one of only a select few universities that requires all students to perform 30 hours of community service in order to graduate. Additionally, Holloway has also been trying to negotiate more computer donations so that OIC can teach even more students these valuable skills. “
Without basic computer knowledge, most people don't stand a chance in the corporate work force,” he said. “I just wish I had found this program sooner.”
- Photo by Robbie Gantt