Author’s Note: This is the second of a two-part series featuring the two Rural Fellows (UNL students) who interned this summer at Box Butte Development Corporation through Rural Prosperity Nebraska.
Ritu Jadwani
>What is your hometown?
I grew up in Ahmedabad city, Gujarat state, western India.
>Hobbies, interests?
In my free time, I like to swim, read books, play volleyball, visit art shows, museums and travel.
>Why did you choose this university/the degree you are pursuing?
My advisor suggested that I pursue the Merchandising doctoral degree and the University of Nebraska has a good program in the Department of Textiles Merchandising and Fashion Design. So, UNL seemed like a suitable choice. After finishing my program, I would like to teach, so a terminal degree is a must. The University of Nebraska offered me an assistantship, and hence I decided to come to UNL.
>Why did you think being interns for part of the summer at BBDC would be a good opportunity?
After working in rural India for about 10 years, I wanted to work in rural communities in another country. The Rural Fellowship through the Rural Prosperity Nebraska offered this fellowship for a summer semester to work in Alliance, rural Nebraska. My background is in entrepreneurship and sustainability, and hence I got matched with BBDC as a part of my application process. I thought this would be a good opportunity, as I would get a chance to work in rural communities, help the local people, learn from the community leader and get a diverse experience. As a part of the internship, I have had a chance to stay with a local host family, help local businesses with marketing and Google presence. This internship has given me a chance to apply my entrepreneurship experiences and research education and I think this is a good opportunity for me and the community, both!
>Did you know each other before then, and what did you like about having the experience together than if it had been solo?
Marissa and I met in February 2023, after we were matched through the Rural Prosperity program. I appreciate that we both come from different backgrounds and bring in diverse experiences to the projects. We both have individual skills and strengths, which help make the projects more promising. Had I worked on these projects solo, they would have come out good, but in a team, they are better! As a team, we have had a chance to visit Hemingford, walk around local businesses in Box Butte County, travel to Scottsbluff, work on many projects and ideate better ways of serving the community under Chelsie’s guidance.
>Most memorable things you learned and how are they relevant to your education/life on campus?
The most memorable things that I have learned are listening to the community, having empathy for them and crafting solutions as per their needs. No two communities can be the same; hence solutions need to be very carefully shaped for the community challenges. Secondly, working in diverse teams helps add a different perspective to problem solving. Third, living with an American host family has taught me a lot about the local culture, lifestyle and Alliance in general. All these learnings are very important in education to have a rich experience to move ahead in life on campus and off campus.
>Surprises and had you ever been to the Panhandle before?
Kindness and community spirit. The kindness of the people and willingness to help each one was very pleasantly surprising for me. The community spirit to work together and in collaboration for the betterment of the social good is something I really appreciate. Apart from this, the lack of public transport system to connect to other close by towns or in the town was a big surprise for me.
>How did you work with Chelsie Herian?
As a part of the Rural Fellow application, we applied and mentioned our skill sets and experiences. Each community also applies and submits their project as a part of their application. Then communities and students are matched. Thus, Marissa and I, both were matched with each other and with Chelsie for the projects at BBDC. It has been wonderful to work with Chelsie, she is a great leader, supporter, initiator and collaborator. I could not have asked for a better community leader. We work in team to ideate projects and collaborate on many solutions. Apart from this, we individually also work on projects where we can use our skills and strengths.
>Takeaways from visiting KAB?
KAB is doing some really good work. I was very surprised to see that a small community like Alliance can be so mindful at recycling. I really commend that! I have worked in sustainability as a part of my textile initiative Namaste NYC, and recycling at the University of Nebraska. Seeing the back end of the waste collection at KAB, was truly an ideal learning for me. I hope more local businesses and individuals sign up for the recycling program and help reduce waste. Waste collection, separation, selling and dispatch are not easy tasks and I hope the community sees value that KAB is creating for the locals.
>Advice for us?
Perhaps look into textile recycling, as fashion and textile are the second most polluting industry. Collect textile waste and see where it can be used or diverted to. Give businesses and individuals some incentives to recycle as a part of their sustainability or corporate social responsibility program. Partner with local or international artists to create some murals, installations using the waste. This could be a creative district project. Initiate and host educational programs to educate the community on the importance of recycling. Teach the community members about composting or recycling at home and benefits for recycling. Partner with universities to share and learn best practices, which can lead to collaborative projects or grants. In the current scenario of global warming and temperature fluctuations across the world, being sustainable and embracing recycling is the only way we can try to save the environment for the next generation.
>State of recycling at UNL?
As a part of the Pilot program, the University of Nebraska in Lincoln has implemented recycling containers in many buildings to encourage the community to recycle. The waste is segregated by plastic, paper, landfill and this has helped reduce the waste to a very large extent. I was a part of the project to map the trash cans and replace them with recycling bins. To see the project from start to end is commendable. At the Department of Textiles, Merchandising & Fashion Design we collect fabric waste, and recycle it to create unique garments. There are special classes that students can take to learn about sustainability and create zero waste design garments. Thus, recycling at UNL is popular to make the campus a sustainable community.
Other comments:
When recycling or speaking of sustainability, often I see that people are not aware of sustainability and the importance of recycling. Thus, I feel that educational awareness programs are the first step to create a change in the mindset, followed by actions. I hope we are able to create a more sustainable, mindful community.