15 Oct Goodwill Scholarship Empowers Brentwood Mom to Advance Her Career

Brentwood resident Janet Curiel received the David B. Lifsey Scholarship at Goodwill’s 2025 Impact Awards Lunch. The $2,500 scholarship, presented by CoreCivic Foundation, is awarded to a Goodwill training program graduate who plans to enroll, or has enrolled, in post-secondary education or a credentialed certification program.  

As a working mom of five boys who she homeschooled, Janet Curiel assumed she’d never be able to advance her education. 

“We as adults can easily get into our day-to-day life and maybe in the back of our minds still have that career accomplishment that we desired,” Curiel said.  

She came to the Brentwood Goodwill Career Solutions Center in March 2023 after being laid off from her fully remote job as a reimbursement specialist.  

“I was very stressed because I knew if I didn’t get another job soon my husband would have to take on a bigger workload to support our family,” Curiel said. “That would have been really hard on my kids, because he would not have as much quality time with them.” 

Janet wanted to enhance her own skills but worried she wouldn’t be able to complete an in-person course. She was used to dedicating every minute of her day either to work or to taking care of and homeschooling her children, who range in age from 4 to 19 years old. 

She met with career coaches in Goodwill’s Connecting Forward program, which helps families across Middle Tennessee overcome barriers and reach their professional goals. 

With encouragement from Connecting Forward career coaches, Janet enrolled in Goodwill’s Data Analytics program. The 12- to 18-week course equips individuals with key analytical skills, including data cleansing, analysis and visualization. 

Janet worked early mornings and late nights to complete the self-paced coursework while managing her household and homeschooling. 

“It was challenging, but I loved how it was self-paced. Each time I completed a module, I felt an immense amount of joy,” Janet said. 

Goodwill Workforce Development Coach Christina Romero worked with Curiel as she completed the course. Romero said Curiel is a great example of what can happen when someone has the determination to better their life.  

“Completing the Google Data Analytics course allows you to receive a certificate that is respected in the industry,” Romero said. “It’s really important because it gives people the opportunity to have access to the types of jobs that are life-changing. The income you can get as a data analyst is anywhere from $70,000 to $90,000.” 

While taking the course, Janet was hired as a remote reimbursement specialist by Unified Health Services. She successfully balanced work, homeschooling and her studies. She then completed the Advanced Data Analytics course, which she said will help her succeed in her career. 

“I now have really high hopes to grow where I’m at, and this training has opened the door for my supervisors to consider me for future positions,” she said. 

Inspired to continue her education, Janet enrolled in the medical billing and coding program at Nashville State Community College in September 2024. This career shift will provide her with greater pay and more opportunities in the healthcare field. 

Janet shares Goodwill’s mission with her friends and fellow mothers who work, homeschool and want to further their education. 

“I want more people to know that Goodwill provides so many opportunities for you to grow, whether through education or even resume help,” she said. “I’m so thankful to Goodwill for the skills and knowledge that will allow me to go even further in my career.”