INVOLVEMENT

Honors Students Participate in Third District Internship Program

		J.D. Edwards students design solutions for the Lincoln Electric System

Students from UNL's J.D. Edwards Honors Program in Computer Science and Management went to work in communities across the state this summer, providing technology solutions to business problems. The Third District Internship Program placed student interns in Holdrege, York, Broken Bow, Chadron and Clay Center. The interns worked on community web sites, multi-media presentations for businesses and other projects.

Rep. Tom Osborne, Nebraska's 3rd District Congressman, helped secure funding for the program. Osborne said the internships are critical for Nebraska. "These students are worth their weight in gold. There are a lot of programs geared toward technology but J.D. Edwards (students) apply technology to business in a rubber-hits-the-road way. Nebraska communities benefited from the expertise of the student interns," said Osborne.

Jeff Runyan, a J.D. Edwards program intern, spent the summer in Holdrege designing and creating a Web site for the city. Runyan said an effective Web site is important for residents, visitors and for businesses that want to relocate or expand.

"Site selectors for large companies use web sites for data gathering on communities," said Runyon. "It's an important economic development tool."

Students benefited from the hands-on opportunities provided by the internships. Mike Wrenholt, an intern who developed a Web site for Broken Bow, said the experience provided insights that can't be found in the classroom.

"The internship really taught me that knowledge is more than the facts you store in your brain. It's also the experience and the actions that go with it. I learned so much about interacting with people and about life in general," said Wrenholt.

Osborne hopes the internship project will also attract young entrepreneurs to rural Nebraska.

J.D. EDWARDS