A graduate of the University of Central Arkansas, Maddie Long will continue her longstanding commitment to volunteer and nonprofit work through becoming an American Connection Corps fellow. She’s been tapped as the Director of Digital Equity in the Little Rock Mayor’s Office, where, she explains, she’ll “be working with the community and local governments to bridge gaps in access to the internet throughout the city.”

With the mayor’s office, Maddie will build upon the work already in progress to increase internet access, which has been especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic as many were forced to work and learn from home. She’s proud of what has already been done to connect the people of Little Rock, including “creating hotspots in local parks and helping families access work from home and online schooling solutions.”

Maddie has a passion for place-based community engagement and learning, and is looking forward to working on digital literacy initiatives in Little Rock and responding to community needs. “I am excited about the range and nature of this work,” she says, “so that the residents of Little Rock may better pursue educational opportunities, economic empowerment, and civic engagement available through digital means.”