Deadline Extended | Apply To Be A 2020 Rural Futures Institute Fellow

The Rural Futures Institute (RFI) at the University of Nebraska is seeking highly-motivated students and passionate community leaders to increase their inclusive leadership capacity while creating the future of Nebraska’s rural communities through workforce development, economic development, recruitment and retention of residents, access and more.

Deemed RFI Fellows, selected students and community innovators will join forces for 10 weeks during summer 2020 to make significant progress on strategic community initiatives and priority projects while immersing themselves in 1-to-1 inclusive leadership coaching with the University of Nebraska’s Helen Fagan, Ph.D.

Students will live, work and serve in the community they are focused on, and community innovators will invite them into the life of rural Nebraska.

Details and applications for the experience are at ruralfutures.nebraska.edu/fellows. The deadline to apply has been extended to Oct. 25, 2019, and informational webinars are scheduled for Sept. 26 (communities) and Oct. 3 (students).

“This is a tremendous opportunity for communities to accomplish tangible work through students, but it is also transformational for all of the people involved,” Fagan said. “To truly make a thriving rural future for Nebraska, we need thriving individuals who include and inspire others.”

After completing the application, students will be interviewed in November and notified of the selection in December. Communities will work through project definitions with RFI staff throughout the winter and everyone will be matched based on projects that fit their expertise and interests in early 2020. All fellows are required to complete training before the in-community experience, which will take place May 25 - July 31, 2020.

"My experience was beyond incredible, and I am grateful to everyone who made it possible," said Clayton Keller, a public administration graudate student and 2018 RFI Fellow. "I made many great friends and got to see even more of this beautiful state. More than that, I got to live, serve and work in a rural community that was not only sustainable, but also actively increasing the quality of life for everyone living there."