When the NC State Career Development Center launched the Rural Works! program in 2018, the idea was simple but ambitious: connect students with meaningful, paid internships in rural communities while helping local employers build the talent pipelines to thrive. Seven years later, that vision has grown into a statewide success story — one that just earned national recognition.

This month, Rural Works! was named the 2025 University Economic Development Association (UEDA) Award of Excellence winner in the Talent Development category. The honor celebrates university-led programs that strengthen local economies and prepare students for the workforce.

For Sam Sanger, the rural outreach coordinator in the Career Development Center who directs the program, the award represents more than just a milestone.

“This recognition reflects what happens when universities and industry work hand in hand,” he said. “Rural Works! gives students life-changing experiences while helping rural employers access the skilled talent they need to stay competitive. It’s a win for both the students and the state.”

That win has been felt across North Carolina. What began with 19 interns in 2018 has expanded to more than 200 interns placed with 139 employers in 48 rural counties this past summer — a 35 percent increase from 2024. Those partnerships have generated a measurable boost to local economies, with an average $191,600 in impact per company this summer. Yet participants agree the program’s greatest impact comes from the energy, innovation and perspective students bring to small-town workplaces.

For many rural employers, those connections have opened doors that might otherwise remain closed. 

“As a small business in a very rural county, we would never have a chance to hire the caliber of interns we’ve recruited through Rural Works!,” shared a representative from Contempora Fabrics, Inc. in Robeson County. “Without this program, our internship likely wouldn’t exist.”

Others, like Evans Machinery in Wilson County, have turned those internships into long-term employment opportunities. After hosting two students last summer, the company hired one part-time and plans to bring on two more this year.

Beyond the numbers, Rural Works! embodies NC State’s land-grant mission — to extend education and innovation to every corner of the state. By connecting students with communities eager to grow their local talent pipelines, the program strengthens workforce development and economic resilience while giving students real-world experience and the confidence to thrive in their future careers.

Rebekah Dunstan, director of professional development in the Career Development Center, sees the program as a model for how universities can drive statewide impact. “Rural Works! shows what’s possible when we invest in experiential learning that benefits students and communities alike,” she said. “It proves that talent development and economic growth go hand in hand.”

As Rural Works! continues to grow, its mission remains centered on building meaningful partnerships that strengthen both student success and rural prosperity. By investing in programs that prepare students for meaningful careers while supporting rural regions across North Carolina, NC State continues to fulfill its land-grant promise to Think and Do for the good of the state.