RFI STUDENT SERVICESHIP INTERNS START THEIR RURAL NEBRASKA EXPERIENCES

For eight University of Nebraska (NU) students this marks the start of their “rural immersion” into four Nebraska communities.

McCook, Neb., North Platte, Neb., West Point, Neb., and York, Neb., are hosting pairs of University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) and University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) students through Rural Futures Institute (RFI) Student Serviceship. A hybrid between service learning and traditional internships, “serviceships” provide communities with tangible results on important self-defined projects while giving students resume-building work and insight into the career and life opportunities in rural places.

Community host teams include subject-matter experts and leadership mentors that assist with students’ major projects, connect them with volunteering opportunities and invite them to participate in community events and activities. RFI provides support and guidance throughout the nine-week serviceship experience, and all participants learn and share on behalf of rural community growth. RFI Student Serviceship was made possible in partnership with the Heartland Center of Leadership Development.

“We have had many students go into communities through RFI Student Serviceship and make a positive, significant and ongoing impact,” said Chuck Schroeder, RFI Executive Director. “But, as importantly, the students themselves gain real-world experience and build a network that influences them for a lifetime.

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