Faces of Facilities
Liberty junior Josh Baker manages being a full-time employee and a student
Late at night when the weight benches are no longer squeaking and the basketballs no longer thud on the hardwood courts, only a few sounds echo through the
LaHaye Student Union.
Late Nights — Josh Baker works for Facilities from 10:25 p.m. to 7 a.m. cleaning the floors of the LaHaye Student Union. Photo credit: Courtney Russo
These are the sounds of the Liberty University Facilities crew doing their jobs.
From 10:25 p.m. to 7 a.m. Wednesday through Sunday, Facilities worker and part-time Liberty student 22-year-old Josh Baker makes his rounds in the LaHaye Student Union cleaning the floors while other Facilities workers clean all around Liberty’s campus.
Baker, a transfer junior and Biblical studies major with a youth ministry minor, started working for Facilities in September of 2014.
While Baker grinned as he mentioned his love for his fellow Facilities co-workers and expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to work, Baker’s brown eyes started to reflect a taxing burden as he explained that this job was the only way he could stay at Liberty and that he had nowhere else to turn.
“I would not be able to stay in school (without this job),” Baker said. “… I was going to have to start paying basically for myself because I don’t get any financial help whatsoever. So I had no credit, so I couldn’t take out any loans. I had no cosigner. So I was in a tough spot. (This job) just kind of worked out.”
Although his financial situation looked grim, Baker knew a few Facilities workers and decided to apply. He was offered the job shortly thereafter. Though he had found a job, Baker had to find time to sleep because of the night shift adjustment. His whole schedule had to change.
“I knew (the job) was going to be rough, but it’s worth it in the end,” Baker said. “… It’s worth it for the schooling, to not have to go into debt.”
In addition to being a full-time employee for Liberty University, Baker also takes nine credits on-campus and volunteers at Thomas Road Baptist Church (TRBC) with the college and high school ministries.
While Baker only has class Monday, Wednesday and Friday, he volunteers with TRBC on Thursdays. Regardless of the task, Baker said that he wants to ultimately glorify God in any task he is given.
“(I) want to be able to put everything (I) can into the job that (I) have, because that’s the way (I) glorify God through (my) schoolwork and the job that (I) have,” Baker said. “(I’ve) got to make sure that (I’m) going to be able to do both the best of (my) ability to glorify God as best as (I) can.”
Even though Baker’s shifts occur when most people sleep, he grins and still pushes through while listening to sermons as he cleans the floors. One Bible verse in particular, Philippians 1:21, helps Baker continue to work even after he has been awake for more than 24 hours, which he said happens almost once a week.
“It should always be Christ,” Baker said. “For me, to live is Christ. Everything that I should do is to glorify Christ and bring God glory. So (I’m) just checking myself and making sure that I’m not putting myself in that spot or (that) I’m putting money in that spot. (That) I’m not putting whatever in that spot, that Christ always remains in that spot. … A way to glorify Christ is working hard and doing the right things.”
Even when the homework is adding up and the night hours seem to grow longer, Baker still continues to work hard.
“I just want to protect my reputation,” Baker said. “I don’t want to be known as someone who’s lazy and slacks off. I want to be known as a good worker.”
Though Baker expressed much love for his job, he offered one piece of advice to prospective part-time or full-time student workers.
“Don’t grow up too fast, because honestly that’s one thing I miss,” Baker said. “I don’t get to hang out with friends as much. I don’t get to go to sporting events as much.”
Baker’s job can be burdensome, but he still tries to make time for friends and hobbies such as golfing, playing guitar, and ministering to others.
Though sometimes Baker’s eyes droop because of lack of sleep or his workouts ache a little more because of late nights, Baker’s smile still manages to light up his face even on the hard days.
“It’s definitely a humbling experience to be a janitor, basically cleaning up after people,” Baker said. “But I guess the number one thing that (God) has taught me is his faithfulness because this job is a huge blessing.”
Tiller is the feature editor.