Josh Parrish has spent each of his three spring breaks where other college students tend to congregate鈥攊n balmy Florida. But unlike students relaxing on the white, sandy beaches along the Gulf of Mexico, Parrish was pounding silver nails into two-by-fours.
As part of 91制片厂鈥檚 annual, alternative spring break trip, Parrish and 13 other students spent four days building a house for Habitat for Humanity in Pensacola. This marked the third straight year Parrish participated in the service project.
鈥淥ne Saturday of volunteering by me could change a family鈥檚 entire life. That鈥檚 unbelievable.鈥
鈥淚鈥檝e been put in a lot of fortunate situations so being able to give back to a family in need, that鈥檚 something I really wanted to do,鈥 says Parrish, who expects to graduate next spring. 鈥淚 love doing that. I look for those opportunities. I鈥檝e been blessed to have been part of this one for three years.鈥
Giving back to those in need has always been important part of Parrish鈥檚 life. In high school, he took mission trips through Next Step Ministries, offering his time constructing homes devastated by natural disasters in places like Oklahoma, Mississippi and South Carolina. Last summer, he volunteered for the entire summer doing construction work on a Navajo reservation in New Mexico.
鈥淚鈥檝e always had a sense of wanting to help people,鈥 says Parrish. 鈥淥ne Saturday of volunteering by me could change a family鈥檚 entire life. That鈥檚 unbelievable.鈥
On campus, the Rawlings Sports Business Management (RSBM) major supports fellow students as a resident assistant in Saints Hall and leads campus tours for prospective students. He is also president of his academic program鈥檚 leadership council. But there鈥檚 more: Parrish also serves as a youth pastor at West Springs Church in Ballwin鈥攖hat is, when he鈥檚 not busy with his internship at Ballpark Village in downtown St. Louis.
鈥淭he people around Maryville care about me and invested in my life, and that鈥檚 how I have these amazing opportunities and jobs,鈥 says Parrish. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 do it without all of the support from people on campus.鈥
As president of the Rawlings Sport Business Management Leadership Council, Parrish is in charge of the mentoring initiative, which pairs freshmen students with students who are further along in the program.
鈥淚 want to continue to put this program in a much better place,鈥 says Parrish. 鈥淚鈥檓 so passionate about the students and the program. We continue to think of ways to improve it and the industry.鈥
Parrish created other networking opportunities when he launched a job-shadow platform with sports organizations, connecting students with their career interests.
鈥淗is willingness to help the student body grow through professional development opportunities is second to none,鈥 says Daniel Schmidt, RSBM program coordinator. 鈥淗e has the respect from his peers and is willing to tackle any opportunity that is put in front of him. He鈥檚 a great asset to the program.鈥
Exploring more about Maryville was something Parrish needed to do before deciding to enroll. He had received an offer but was leaning toward a different college to continue playing football.
Jason Williams, EdD, director of the program, asked Parrish to attend an annual RSBM presentation on campus. Parrish agreed, but got lost after arriving at Maryville. He asked a few students nearby to point out the auditorium, and to his surprise they went out of their way to walk with him across campus to the building. During the short trip, the students offered glowing testimonials.
鈥淭hey were telling me all these great things about Maryville, and I thought they were being fake,鈥 says Parrish.
Following the RSBM presentation, Williams offered his pitch for the University鈥檚 program by expounding on the numerous prospects for real-job experiences.
鈥淗e said 鈥楯osh, we have all these jobs, internships and opportunities for you,鈥欌 says Parrish. 鈥’This is the place you need to be. This is the place where you鈥檙e going to make it happen.’鈥
Both Williams and the group of students were accurate in their assessments that day, Parrish says.
鈥淢aryville has given me a future and experiences I would have never gotten anywhere else,鈥 says Parrish. 鈥淭hese people care, not just about me, but about every student here. They want us to be amazing, and I just took that and ran with it.鈥
After graduation, Parrish looks forward to working for a professional sports organization鈥攁nd more opportunities for giving back to the community.
鈥淚 love working with my hands so I definitely plan to work with Habitat for Humanity or other service organizations after I graduate in whatever city I may be in,鈥 says Parrish. 鈥淚 want to serve as much as I can.鈥
Even if it鈥檚 just one Saturday at a time.