Student employees support and strengthen rural Indiana initiatives

Student employees play a vital role in the IU Center for Rural Engagement’s mission to support and strengthen rural Indiana. This National Student Employment Week offers an opportunity to celebrate their dedication and the impact of their work across the state.

The center currently has 14 student staff members who contribute their unique talents to projects spanning health, housing, education, arts and culture, and community resilience.

Throughout the year, they apply their skills and creativity to projects that build partnerships and support rural communities.

“We benefit from the energy that students bring and from the enthusiasm they offer,” said Colleen Rose, director of student engagement. “We are a university, and this is a learning lab. Students should absolutely be a part of what we do here at the center. There's a lot of research that supports that campus-based student employment is one of the most high-impact opportunities a college student can have. I think it’s critical that we’re always thinking about how we can integrate students into everything we do.”

That approach comes to life through the work of students like Kristina Kokot, who has served for nearly two years as one of four Creative Arts for Vets (CAV) project manager interns. Under the direction of Todd Burkhart, director of campus partnerships, Kokot and her fellow interns manage the program’s full scope, from processing book orders to answering partner emails and hosting in-person events.

“I love working for the Center for Rural Engagement,” Kokot said. “I think it's really meaningful work. Working with veterans is so special. It’s really touching to know that what I’m doing is having such an impact on so many people. I’ve been quite humbled by it.”

In supporting the center’s work, student employees take on meaningful, hands-on roles that prepare them for their future careers.

“Students in our office get a lot of really great professional experience,” Rose said. “We’re not asking students to just copy papers. They are actually designing things, writing stories, working in building community partnerships, and talking to people in rural communities.”

Kokot credits her time at the center for providing her with a solid professional foundation and opportunity to develop important organizational and leadership skills.

“It's a good way to get that first professional work experience under your belt in a supportive environment,” Kokot said. “Professionally, this job has taught me a lot about managing multiple things at once. I got better at managing my responsibilities and keeping myself organized.”

The impact of student employees is evident not only in their work, but also in the recognition they receive. Olivia Grace Williams Novak, the center’s rural oral history scholar, was recognized this month with a 2026 Student Employee of the Year Award for Social Impact and Belonging by IU Bloomington Career Exploration & Student Employment. Through the Sustaining Hoosier Communities initiative, and in partnership with the Indiana Landmarks Black Heritage Preservation Program, Williams Novak captures and preserves the voices and lived experiences of Black elders in south-central Indiana, ensuring their stories are not lost to time.

The center offers student employment roles throughout the year. Current openings can be found on the Student Opportunities page.