SUBMITTED ARTICLE

O'Neill Community Foundation Fund and Holt County Economic Development Fund welcome Emily Morrow and Katie Hawk home for the summer

to help local leadership further their missions.

Morrow and Hawk are both students at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Morrow graduated from UNL in May with a dual degree in advertising and public relations and broadcasting. Hawk will begin her sophomore year in the fall at UNL studying business management. Both began their duties in May and will work alongside local leadership through early August.

During that time, Morrow will assist the O'Neill Chamber of Commerce office and O'Neill Community Foundation Fund with digital marketing and media creation, public relations and donor appreciation. Hawk will assist at the Holt County Economic Development office with an Ewing Community Assessment Project and with the Holt County leadership program.

Morrow's and Hawk's positions are being partially funded by Nebraska Community Foundation's hometown internship program. Launched in 2020,

NCF's hometown interns program is attracting ambitious young Nebraskans to return to their hometowns for the summer and further the work and mission of their local Nebraska Community Foundation affiliated fund.

This program is helping young people feel more connected to their hometowns, hone job-relevant skills and network with adults and job creators in the area. Importantly, it's allowing them to envision a bright future right in their own hometown.

On the heels of tremendous success with, 13 exceptional 2020 hometown interns, NCF expanded the program to include up to 25 interns for summer 2021.

"My work last year as a hometown intern was eye-opening," said Miranda Shreves, who will serve as one of two hometown intern coordinators this summer. "I hope this year's class gains the same perspective and more."

The expansion builds on the results of the 2020 NCF Youth Survey, which revealed that most participants would prefer to live in a small community,

and they're motivated to make a positive impact on the places that raised them. The primary reason young Nebraskans don't envision a future in their hometowns comes down to job opportunities-44% of respondents said the main reason they would not remain in their area is because of

career opportunities elsewhere.

NCF's hometown internship program aims to capitalize on that by creating those opportunities right at home.

"By welcoming Morrow and Hawk back home, the O'Neill Community Foundation Fund and Holt County Economic Development Fund opens doors

to a fresh look at community building," said NCF president and CEO Jeff Yost. "The benefits go both ways. Our affiliated funds gain a new, youthful perspective to propel them into the future, and interns learn their hometowns offer so much more than previously assumed. By the end of the summer, we hope they will find Greater Nebraska is the perfect place to build a career, family and life."