By Emma Godwin, Golden LEAF External Affairs Intern
This summer, 71 Golden LEAF Scholars are participating in the Golden LEAF Rural Internship Initiative (RII), an opportunity designed to provide hands-on, career-relevant work experience in rural North Carolina communities. Three senior scholars, Joe Bolick, Caitlyn Rogers, and Nyanna Sherrod, who have participated in several summers of RII share how their internships are shaping their professional paths and deepening their connections to their home regions.
The Golden LEAF Rural Internship Initiative enables eligible Golden LEAF Scholars to experience meaningful roles at internship sites aligned with their career interests. Interns are paid for up to 400 hours of work, earning $16 per hour in the first year, $17 in the second, and $18 in the third, over the course of 8 to 12 weeks between May and August.
Read more about some of our Summer 2025 RII participants below:
Caldwell County native Joe Bolick is entering his third year as a Teaching and Coaching Assistant through RII. His internship, split between Lower Creek Elementary and South Caldwell High School, supports his future goal of becoming a high school history teacher and coach.
A senior at Appalachian State University, Bolick is majoring in Secondary History and Social Studies Education. For him, RII has bridged the gap between theory and practice.
“While at Appalachian State, I have had field experiences, but none have allowed me the chance to really get to know the teachers I come into contact with or to build relationships with them and others within my county,” said Bolick. “This internship has allowed me the opportunity to meet and learn from some of the best teachers in my county.”
Over three summers, Bolick has been able to see the educational pipeline in action and credits the variety of experiences with giving him a stronger foundation as a future educator.
“I have been able to work with elementary, middle, and high school students,” he said. “I have experienced education at all three levels. This is invaluable because as a high school teacher, I will be able to better understand the building blocks that have brought my students to me.”
In addition to teaching strategies, Bolick has gained a broader understanding of how schools operate.
“I have been able to learn how a school works from administrators to principals, front office employees to custodians, and counselors to teachers to students,” he said. “Being able to experience how a school is run on the day-to-day and how it works as a piece of the community was something I had never seen.”
This deep exposure has prepared him to enter the classroom with confidence.
“I want to make sure that I create an environment for my own students where they feel safe, encouraged, and can receive effective educational instruction,” he said. “I will also take what I have learned about how different schools work to better myself when coming into my career.”
For Caitlyn Rogers, a rising senior at Appalachian State University majoring in Nutrition and Dietetics, her RII internship at LifeBrite Community Hospital of Stokes has been both rewarding and affirming.
Working as a Dietary Intern in her home county of Stokes, Rogers is applying what she’s learned in the classroom to real-life scenarios.
“I have gained more customer service skills by working in a clinical setting with patients,” said Rogers. “At this internship site, there are mainly senior citizen patients. I have to be very patient with them because they all have different backgrounds and needs that need to be met.”
She sees these skills as critical to her future career as a dietitian, especially in working with vulnerable populations.
“This hands-on experience is different from my school experience because during school I’m listening and gathering information on how to be a dietitian,” Rogers explained. “Being hands on lets me practice on how to be good in my field in real situations. It makes me feel more confident and prepared for when I graduate.”
Looking ahead, Rogers plans to attend graduate school to earn her master’s degree and continue pursuing her career in Nutrition and Dietetics.
Nyanna Sherrod is a Nash County native and a rising senior at North Carolina Central University majoring in Political Science with a concentration in Theory and Pre-Law and Civic Engagement. She is completing her second year with RII at the District Attorney’s Office in Halifax County as a Legal Support Staff/Intern.
“This internship opportunity has taught me many valuable skills that will prepare me for a future career as an attorney or judge,” said Sherrod. “An important skill that I have gained during my internship would be deductive reasoning because it allows me to use my general knowledge of learning the law to find solutions to problems. I see myself using this skill in my future career as an attorney to help me better understand cases by using legal analysis, construct arguments, interpret laws, and apply precedent.”
Beyond developing professional skills, Sherrod has been inspired to use her education to serve her community.
“I hope to one day serve my community by being a voice that advocates and fights for others, whether it’s kids, young adults, or the elderly,” she said. “I want everyone to feel like their needs are being met and change is being made to improve and better serve the community for the generation, like the one that my daughter is growing up in and the ones that follow.”
Her internship in Halifax County has also expanded her understanding of rural communities.
“It means everything to me to have been able to participate in an internship in a rural area because prior to my internship, I had never been to Halifax County,” said Sherrod. “Being able to intern there these past two years has allowed me to see firsthand the amount of time, dedication, collaboration, and hard work that goes into giving people justice.”
Sherrod notes how the real-world experience has added depth to her classroom learning.
“This hands-on experience is different from my school experience because instead of just hearing about court proceedings, I get to help work behind the scenes and actually see the day-to-day operations of what is needed to work in this field,” she added.
Grateful for the opportunity RII has given her, Sherrod encourages others to participate.
“The Rural Internship Initiative is an amazing opportunity for college students because it gives you the ability to learn if you actually want to pursue your dream career,” said Sherrod. “It allows you to understand and appreciate the grunt work that goes on behind the scenes. If you are a rising high school senior, please apply for the Golden LEAF Scholarship and the Rural Internship Initiative!”
These Golden LEAF Rural Internship Initiative participants are gaining more than just experience, they’re gaining insight, inspiration, and a deeper connection to their rural roots. The Rural Internship Initiative continues to create pathways for Golden LEAF Scholars to thrive in their chosen fields while making meaningful contributions to North Carolina’s rural communities.
Learn more about the Golden LEAF Rural Internship Initiative and how to become a Rural Internship Initiative site here.