Williams Baptist University received a $7,500 gift from First National Bank of Lawrence County Thursday in support of the Williams Works program. The check was presented to WBU President Dr. Stan Norman by Valarie Green, a Vice President and Trust Officer at the Walnut Ridge branch for the bank.

The Williams Works program will welcome its third cohort of students this fall as the initiative continues to grow. This past year, as part of the program, Williams Corner opened for business selling local produce grown on Eagle Farms, as well plants grown in the greenhouses as well as gift items. 

Students in Williams Works work 16 hours a week through the fall and spring semesters and in exchange for their work hours, they have the cost of their tuition and fees covered each semester they work. In addition, they will have the opportunity to work through the summer and have their room and board expenses as well, giving them the opportunity to graduate debt-free.

Students work a variety of jobs around campus and in the community to accumulate their hours which include jobs on WBU’s produce farm, Eagle Farms and through community partners like Custom-Pak and Lawrence Healthcare which provide students the opportunity to work in a material and handling and healthcare environments.

WBU is a private, Christian university in Walnut Ridge.