FAQs

Rural Works! is a paid summer internship program at NC State that connects undergraduate students with meaningful work experiences in rural counties across North Carolina. Rural Works! offers students hands-on experiences that helps them explore career paths, apply classroom knowledge, and build career readiness skills. Interns in the program also receive orientation training and opportunities for community engagement.

Yes. Rural Works! Internships and Rural Works! funding are only available during the summer. However students can receive Rural Works! Funding for a summer Co-op rotation, or convert their summer internship into a Co-op – to learn more check out the NC State Co-op site.

NC State undergraduate students who will be returning to a full time undergraduate degree program in the fall can apply for Rural Works!. Individual employers may restrict the majors who can apply based on qualifications or preferences. If there is a Rural Works! internship posting that you’re interested in but can’t apply for, contact the Rural Works! program coordinator. Students must also be in good academic standing.

Students of all majors can apply for the SECU Public Fellows Program. Applicants must be an undergraduate student returning to a full to undergraduate degree program in the fall and must be a North Carolina resident.

Students can apply for Rural Works! Internship positions through ePack by uploading their resume to the job posting. Rural Works! Employers may also recruit at events such as the Engineering Career Fair, Manufacturing Career Fair, Poole College of Management Career Fair, and Supply Chain Career Fair. 
Application links for the SECU Public Fellows and Business HIRE can be found here – SECU | Business HIRE.

Rural Works! Internships have rolling application windows and deadlines are dependent on individual employers. Internships will begin posting to ePack in November and new positions are added up until April. Applying to positions early in the recruitment cycle is recommended for best job search results. 

Applications for the SECU Public Fellows open in early January and are available until the application deadline of March 1st. 

To maximize the benefits to students and employers, internships are expected to be 10 -12 full (40-hour) workweeks. In rare cases, there may be exceptions at the discretion of the Rural Works! coordinator and the employers. Specific start and end dates will vary based on the employer but the internship will occur between May and August.

It is the responsibility of the student to secure housing. The Rural Works! coordinator Sam Sanger – swsanger@ncsu.edu or internship supervisor can assist the student to find housing if needed.

Most universities offer summer intern housing for students from other universities. It’s recommended to check UNC schools and local colleges for information on summer housing. Airbnb Monthly Rentals have also been a reliable source for rural housing over the summer. 

The Rural Works! stipend award is intended to assist with first month’s rent and initial transportation costs but cannot accommodate for upfront housing fees.

For students selected as a Rural Works! Intern there is an orientation in April to review professional expectations and provide further insight on Rural Works!. Only students who have been approved to complete a Rural Works! internship need to attend

The Rural Works! Program provides subsidized pay towards students’ internship experience in rural NC. The current award amount calculations are – 

• The College of Engineering Rural Works! stipend award is provided to subsidize students hourly pay to a total of $25/hr. NC State pay is provided as a 1 time stipend calculated by NCSU pay x Weeks Worked x 40 hours + $200 transportation bonus. Rural Works! Can subsidize up to $10/hr for up to 12 weeks so the maximum stipend amount is $5,000. Additional details can be found on this Stipend Information Sheet.

• Students in the SECU Public Fellows Internship Program receive a stipend amount of $5,000. 
• Business HIRE participants receive a stipend amount of $4,800.

Rural Works! stipend awards are disbursed directly from NC State to students through My Pack. It is recommended to turn Direct Deposit on and verify your preferred bank account prior to disbursement. Stipend awards can also be disbursed as checks sent to students’ primary mailing address if needed.

It is recommended NOT to take summer classes while working a summer internship. The expectation for your internship is a full time work experience. However, students can enroll in fully online classes with approval from the Rural Works! program coordinator. 

Rural Works! Interns CANNOT work other jobs while completing a summer internship.

To be eligible employers must –

• Be located in or work with a rural community in North Carolina and be able to provide a paid internship for the student
• Help interns find temporary housing (if necessary)
• Provide the intern compensated time for at least eight hours for a community services project
• Provide the intern with feedback, and complete a post-internship evaluation survey

1. Submit the Employer Interest Form (do not submit if returning employer), this form has an option to schedule a meeting with the Rural Works! Coordinator
2. Submit the Internship Description Form, review applications, conduct interviews, and hire an intern by the first week of April. 
3. Once an intern is selected, employers should complete the Employer Hiring Form no later than the first week of April. 

Employers may begin their hiring process for interns as early as the November of the prior year (for example, in November 2025, you may begin hiring for Summer 2026).

Yes. Employers must pay a minimum of $15 per hour.

No. Employers are not required to provide housing, but should assist the intern in identifying temporary housing within the community for the duration of the internship. It’s recommended to check with local universities or colleges if they offer on campus summer housing for interns.

Once an employer submits the Employer Hiring Form there’s no further action needed. Rural Works! stipend awards are disbursed directly from NC State to students through the MyPack Portal as either a direct deposit or check. 

The stipend award is a fully separate payment from the hourly pay provided by the employer. Employers are not required to submit timesheets to NC State.

Internships can be posted as early as November the prior year (for example, in November 2025, you may begin hiring for Summer 2026). It’s recommended to post your internship as soon as possible. January / February is the latest time to post for a traditional hiring cycle. 

Each employer will submit a job description outlining the expected tasks and duties of the internship, as well as their overall goals for the internship, specific subject matter, and technical skills required. If specific tasks are not known yet, an overview of potential project areas or the company operations helps students better understand the internship.

Students will apply for internships through ePACK, and Rural Works! will promote the internship opportunity to NC State students November-March.

Final hiring decisions are made fully by the employer and will have a similar process to other internships. Most employers conduct initial interviews via phone or Zoom, and we encourage having second round interviews hosted on site when possible.