RISE29 2.0 rises with Golden LEAF grant
A nearly $350,000 Golden LEAF Foundation grant will fund RISE29 2.0 — the next phase of a successful initiative that combines student learning with regional impact. Through the program, East Carolina University students will work alongside businesses, entrepreneurs and community leaders to support economic development efforts in rural communities across eastern North Carolina while gaining valuable hands-on experience.
RISE29, short for Rural Innovations Strengthening Eastern North Carolina’s 29 counties, was launched to connect students with applied projects that support rural economic development. Student teams worked with businesses and community partners on initiatives ranging from marketing and research to strategic planning and growth opportunities.
The initiative began through a $1 million Golden LEAF Foundation grant awarded to ECU in 2019. That three-year investment allowed the university and its county partners to develop and implement projects focused on strengthening economic development.
RISE29 2.0 builds on that foundation by expanding the program into new areas and introducing community asset mapping, a process designed to identify local assets and opportunities before projects begin. The approach helps ensure student efforts are aligned with community priorities and positioned for lasting impact.
As one of the principal investigators on the grant, Dr. Amy McMillan sees RISE29 2.0 as an important step toward deepening the connection between ECU and the communities that it serves.
“I’m excited about what happens when the College of Business becomes a hub for connecting people around shared regional goals,” McMillan said. “The future of RISE29 is collaborative and deeply rooted in helping our rural communities thrive.”
The program will be offered through a course led by David Mayo in the Miller School of Entrepreneurship. By providing paid stipends and experiential learning opportunities, RISE29 2.0 helps students build lasting relationships and develop an understanding of the region’s opportunities and challenges.
Dr. Josh Aaron, director of the Miller School of Entrepreneurship, worked with McMillan, Mayo, Melissa Parks, Karen Kus and Dr. Emily Yeager to ensure that the students were embedded in the core of the program.
“This program places our students in the trenches, allowing them to learn while doing meaningful work to assist and support the region’s businesses,” Aaron said. “This helps develop their relationships with eastern North Carolina.”
Past participants and community partners point to those relationships as one of the program’s greatest strengths.
“I worked with businesses in rural Eastern North Carolina as a college student in 2019. Looking back, I can see how the real-world experience fast-tracked my knowledge and showed me what running a business in Eastern North Carolina could look like,” said Taylor Walden ’19, owner of Radiate Prints and Simple & Sentimental. “RISE29 returning offers an exciting opportunity for our university and community to come together to support small businesses and provide excellent educational opportunities to students that showcase the best of Eastern North Carolina.”
Community leaders have also highlighted the value of connecting university resources with local needs.
“There is no better sight to a fellow Pirate than to see purple and gold in your own community,” said Kris Noble, Hyde County manager, regarding the original RISE29 program when she was involved. “A project like this truly demonstrates the mutually beneficial relationship between eastern North Carolina and ECU.”
By bringing together students, faculty, businesses and community leaders, RISE29 demonstrates how higher education can support regional growth while preparing students for future careers.
Over the next several years, RISE29 2.0 will continue connecting university talent with community priorities. The program aims to strengthen local businesses, support rural growth and prepare the next generation of professionals to make a lasting impact across the region.