During a summer when many opportunities were canceled, Nebraska Honors students Miranda Shreves and Nathan Wright were among five who had the opportunity to participate in internships in their hometowns.
The University Honors Program partnered with the Nebraska Community Foundation to match students with organizations, providing engaging learning opportunities that were aligned with their passions and academic interests.
Many Honors Program students are interested in returning home for the summer to give back to their communities while gaining professional development experience—made even more pressing by the pandemic. Students from greater Nebraska—such as Shreves, a psychology major from Johnson, and Wright, a history major from Auburn—make up nearly a quarter of Honors students, and this partnership targets these students from rural communities.
Honors students were paired with other students from around Nebraska to create a cohort experience and encourage students to share their perspectives and ideas. Working with local community foundations affiliated with the Nebraska Community Foundation advanced community initiatives and priorities while allowing students to gain valuable experience and a different perspective of their hometowns.
“I think many hometown interns were surprised by how much responsibility and autonomy they had over the summer,” said Jeff Yost, president and CEO of the Nebraska Community Foundation. “Their experiences went far beyond making copies or fetching coffee. They did important work that is going to extend long beyond their internship.
"We’ve heard from many students that their experience helped them see a different side of their hometowns. Some said their eyes have been opened to the abundant possibilities that exist in greater Nebraska. A few are already making plans to move home after college. We heard again and again how fulfilling it was to be a part of positive change in the hometowns that raised them.”
The Honors Program and Nebraska Community Foundation are preparing for the summer 2021 internship season.
