Name: Austin Truex
Hometown: Norfolk
Affiliated Fund: Norfolk Area Community Foundation Fund (Norfolk Area Visitors Bureau & Growing Together Northeast Nebraska)
School: University of Nebraska at Kearney
What projects are you working on this summer with your affiliated fund?
Over the course of the summer I will be working on various projects, including the formation of a Creative District and accompanying committee for downtown Norfolk. Furthermore, I will be assisting the creation of an alumni connection program, allowing the community to reach area high school graduates.
Why did you want to take this opportunity to participate in this internship again this summer?
Last summer, I enjoyed my work through this internship, and I was fortunate to be able to work on impactful and awesome developments in my hometown.
What did you learn last summer that changed your perception of your hometown?
Last summer, I learned that anyone has the capacity for positive change within the community and that engaging leaders and citizens is a powerful tool.
What do you appreciate most about your community?
What I appreciate most about Norfolk is the amazing concentration of dedicated and goal-setting leaders both in official roles and not. These individuals are the reason that my hometown is able to make the developments that it does.
What excites you the most when you think about the future of your community?
I am most excited about the major projects in the works. There are so many community development movements that have just completed fundraising, so the actual construction is about to begin. After that is complete, I am super excited to see what happens next on such a large scale!
What are you looking for in a place to call home?
A place to call home needs to have opportunity. Opportunity to volunteer, make an impact, create relationships, and grow the community.