Golden LEAF Scholar Alumnus Jeffrey Wilkins grew up in the small town of Micro located in Johnston County, where no one was a stranger.

“Growing up in Micro was very rural and quiet,” said Wilkins. “We lived next to a farm. It was the kind of place you rode bikes and played outside. I was a bike ride away from downtown Micro, in a town where you know everybody.”

This summer, 71 Golden LEAF Scholars participated 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.

Golden LEAF Scholar alumnus Chandler Bumgarner grew up in Taylorsville, N.C., in rural Alexander County, holding a sense of community close to his heart.

This sense of community was significant as he began his college career at Western Carolina University. Chandler Bumgarner’s closest friends from back home attended his college with him, signifying what it meant to him to have a community and family of friends to lean on.

As commencement ceremonies unfold across North Carolina, a unique group of graduates carries with them not only their diplomas but also a commitment to the very communities that shaped them.

Golden LEAF President, Chief Executive Officer Scott T. Hamilton has made it a priority to meet with Golden LEAF Scholars at their college or university to help connect them with the mission of and opportunities provided by Golden LEAF, the leadership of the institution they are attending, alumni, and their fellow scholars.

Golden LEAF Scholarship alumna Leleah Maher grew up in Rocky Mount with a passion for making an impact. She attended Nash Early College High School, where she finished high school and earned an associate degree in May 2022. She then attended North Carolina State University as a Social Work major.

By Golden LEAF External Affairs Interns Brittney Collins and Markell Gibbs Golden LEAF Scholarship alumnae Brooklyn Brown was born and raised in rural Swain County,

By Karizma Greene, Golden LEAF External Affairs Intern Zach Jones, a Golden LEAF Scholarship alumnus, finds home in rural Robeson County, North Carolina. Jones attended

By Brittney Collins, Golden LEAF Scholarship Program Intern Since 2000, Golden LEAF has awarded approximately 6,000 scholarships to students from rural communities who are graduating

By Savanna Ramirez, Golden LEAF External Affairs Intern Golden LEAF Scholarship alumna Jessica Blackwell grew up in a rural community in Columbus County as a