Welcoming Olivia Lee, Grinnell College Service Leadership Work Study Student

This month, Poweshiek Economic Development Collective (Poweshiek Development) welcomed Olivia Lee as part of the Service Leadership Work Study (SLWS) program. Lee is a second-year student at Grinnell College, originally from the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. She is majoring in Economics with a double concentration in Policy Studies and Global Development Studies. Passionate about the intersection of economic policy and community impact, she is keen to learn more about how local economic development initiatives help strengthen Poweshiek County.

Lee brings a strong record of civic engagement and community service to Poweshiek Development. She has previously served as a student coordinator for the Grinnell Community Meal, managing partnerships and outreach to ensure weekly meals reached the community, and also worked at the Marshall County Election Center, supporting voter registration and election administration efforts. Over the summer, she served as a Civic Leadership Fellow at HANA Center in Chicago, where she co-designed a community contingency planning workshop for immigrant families and supported voter registration efforts for over 1,000 newly naturalized U.S. citizens at Wrigley Field. These experiences have shaped her commitment to connecting people with resources and building systems that empower local communities.

At Poweshiek Development, Lee is working closely with Executive Director Melissa Strovers to support the administration of work groups and workforce empowerment initiatives across the county. She hopes to gain hands-on experience with business retention, workforce development, and regional collaboration while learning from the Poweshiek Development team.

“I’m really inspired by Poweshiek Development’s mission of bolstering the Poweshiek County economy,” Lee shared. “I’m thrilled to work alongside Melissa and collaborate with county stakeholders to make meaningful contributions to the work that Poweshiek Development does here in the community. This role is a really fantastic opportunity to apply what I’m learning in the classroom while continuing to engage in the community impact-centered work that I’m passionate about.”