Alisha Billings – Paying it Forward
As a homeless, single parent, living on the streets of New York City, Alisha Billings grabbed a life ring when a stranger offered one.
“When I was going through these struggles earlier in my life, a service worker from AmeriCorps stepped in to help me. She gave me the mentorship I needed, and that inspired me so much that I got my start in service work at AmeriCorps myself,” says Alisha.
From that moment, Alisha’s life took a turn for the better. She got an education, found a job, and made it her life’s mission to help others. For more than 35 years, Alisha helped manage youth development agencies, back-to-work programs, and homeless services programs throughout New York City.
A Different Kind of Service Work in a New Location
After many years serving New York City, Alisha and her husband moved to Nevada. She worked in hospitality but found that she really missed the kind of jobs she had when she was a mentor.
“It’s always been a passion of mine to be of service to individuals and I missed helping people improve,” says Alisha. “That’s when I came across an ad on Indeed for a career services position at Charter College which seemed right up my alley.”
Since July of 2022, Alisha has been a Student Employment Recruiter. Tapping into all she learned serving New York City residents, she now helps students get ready for the workforce. She teaches them how to look for jobs in their new careers, build resumes, and get ready for job interviews. Whatever soon-to-be or already graduates need to find success, Alisha is there to help.
Uplifting Charter College Students
Even though Alisha works remotely, she’s a hands-on helper, offering guidance to her students regardless of where they’re from or what they are going through. Dedicated to her job and to the students she serves, Alisha uses empathy and humor to connect with people from diverse backgrounds. She says she provides tailored support and guidance, looking for solutions to any problems she encounters to help her students achieve their goals.
“The bottom line is that people are people, and everyone wants to be treated with respect. So, I’m consistent with how I communicate and the effort I put in to help others,” says Alisha. “And the students have taught me to be more sensitive to others’ situations.”
Whether it’s a student struggling with personal issues at home or a disability, Alisha takes her time to learn about it, be a safe space for that student, and provide any help she can.
Providing Aid Beyond Graduation
Alisha enjoys working at Charter College because the school’s ideals align with hers when it comes to serving the student population. As a people person, she gets to connect with people and be an important part of their lives’ journey, and according to Alisha, Charter really puts an emphasis on the “life” aspect of that.
“When I tell you Charter College offers lifetime career services, they mean lifetime! I had a student reach out to me from 2012, but we were still here and ready to assist them with our services,” Alisha says.
Alisha believes Charter College provides an unusual work environment where she can connect with people on a deeper level, unlike traditional educational institutions. She knows her efforts are making a difference and is happy to provide help just as it was provided to her many years ago.
Do you want to learn more about the amazing staff at Charter College? Call 888-200-9942 or fill out the form.