The Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) AmeriCorps Program service year is in full swing and the RARE service members are already seeing the fruits of their labor. RARE is an AmeriCorps program administered through the Institute for Policy Research and Engagement (IPRE), and has been working alongside our rural communities since 1994 to improve economic, social, and environmental conditions for these communities.

On a cold January morning, University of Oregon (UO) alumna Emily Lawhead, PhD '22, was excited. Shortly after becoming one of the first new PhD graduates from the Department of the History of Art and Architecture's (HAA) revived doctoral program, Lawhead learned that she was being offered an associate curator position at the Utah Museum of Fine Art, a dream come true for the Oregon Design Duck (ODDuck).

At the College of Design, there is a "rare" opportunity for graduating students and alumni looking to gain professional experience and make a difference in Oregon's rural communities. The Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) Program, an AmeriCorps program administered through the Institute for Policy Research and Engagement (IPRE), has been engaging and working alongside rural communities since 1994 to improve their economic, social, and environmental conditions.

Twenty-three firms looking to hire A&AA graduates participated in the three-day 2015 Recruitment Fair sponsored by the Office of Professional Outreach and Development for Students (PODS) in Lawrence Hall recently. Recruiters lined up along two floors in the halls of Lawrence, meeting students where they live and learn.