When signing up for unlruralprosperityne’s Rural Fellows program, Brandon didn’t really know what to expect. He just knew he'd be spending his summer making a difference in a small-town community like the one he grew up in. “I just thought this was a really unique opportunity,” Brandon says. “Coming from Filley, Nebraska, small towns aren’t a new thing to me, so I was really interested in what I could do as a UNL student to help out. Plus, I felt like it might be a cool chance to build a little more independence and see what I’m made of in a totally new place.” Even though he’s arriving in Knox County a stranger, he’ll be getting to know folks from the area pretty quickly. Brandon’s primary role will be supporting the county’s emergency manager to improve emergency communications. “Essentially, a big part of my summer is going to be spent meeting with all sorts of people from Knox County — farmers, workers, businesspeople and others — to get their thoughts on the emergency manageme...