Buter continues the Elon’s Year of Service Fellows program tradition of actively participating in the Alamance community through her love of local government.
Politics has always interested Juliana Buter ’25, so it was a “no-brainer” that she would channel her passion into the Elon Year of Service Fellows Program, where she is now working with the City of Burlington Economic Development Office.
In this position, Buter works on strengthening the community’s economy by attracting investments, supporting existing businesses and “improving the quality of life of everyone in the community.” Her responsibilities include acting as the Burlington Downtown Corporation liaison, a key communicator between the city of Burlington and local businesses that ensures a smooth information flow and coordination of goals.
The Year of Service Fellows Program is an opportunity through the university’s Student Professional Development Center that allows recent graduates to work at local organizations to improve health, education and economic development in the Alamance County community. Buter is one of six Fellows in the program.
She says it was a learning curve to realize that it’s not possible to make everyone happy, but it is important to create the best quality of life for everyone as best as she can. Buter is also responsible for communicating Burlington’s economic developments to different audiences. From this experience, she has been inspired to do community-based work where she can see the benefits of her work.
“This fellowship has helped me a lot because it taught me about my strengths and areas where I need to grow,” Buter said.
Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Buter was attracted to Elon University because of its small classrooms that would allow one-on-one time with her professors as well as the study abroad opportunities. Butler majored in political science and minored in communications.
In 2024, Buter participated in the Campus Alamance program, a summer internship program that provides a mutually beneficial opportunity for local businesses, non-profit organizations and government entities to host Elon University students who wish to gain work experience within the local community. During this time, she also interned with the Alamance Chamber of Commerce and was able to rediscover Alamance County outside of Elon. She was introduced to the Year of Service Fellows program and city officials who would convince her to apply for the program.
Buter credits her success in the program to her political science degree, where she learned how to understand the science of how one decision can impact a community and the human nature behind it all. Her minor in communications has also helped her in effectively communicating her ideas effectively to different audiences.
“There is a misconception about political science simply being about politics, parties and government. I think the science aspect has taught me how people interact with one another and with groups,” Buter said. “I have absolutely fallen in love with local government, just watching the behind-the-scenes of people working hard for their community.”
Buter advises seniors who are interested in the program to go through the experience because it offers an opportunity to explore career paths while serving their local community.
“Please see it as a chance to bridge the gap between college and career in a really meaningful way,” she said. “It’s a year to build on your interests, gain hands-on experience, contribute to the community, and discover the kind of work that really energizes you. You don’t have to have everything figured out. This program gives you the chance to learn, grow, and step into whatever comes next with more clarity and confidence.”
This story is part of a series of features on the 2025-26 Year of Service Fellows, highlighting the work they are doing in the Alamance County community.