As Pulse of the Heartland has previously explored, artificial intelligence is not merely altering the tools at our fingertips—it is transforming how young people imagine their place in the future of the workforce. For a new generation of computer science graduates, the goal is no longer just to become expert coders or technology builders, but to understand how technology can extend human potential and how computer science can apply to fields previously unimagined. Across the heartland, these graduates are charting creative career paths that blend technical mastery with human purpose.

At Heartland Forward, one of those stories begins close to home. William Trolinger, a research analyst on our team, embodies the convergence of skill, curiosity and civic purpose that defines the region’s next wave of innovators.

Raised in Elkins, Arkansas—just down the road from Bentonville—Will was introduced early to the art of problem-solving. His father works in technology management, and his late step father was an IT instructor. Through both these role models Will glimpsed the quiet discipline of those who make complex systems work. That early fascination led him to the University of Arkansas–Fort Smith, where he studied computer science and played baseball. Even now, he finds ways to merge his technical skills with his lifelong love of the game—designing Baseball Bingo, an online project that turns America’s pastime into an exercise in data-driven creativity. Today, while pursuing a master’s degree in computer science at Georgia Tech, he applies that same blend of focus and curiosity to Heartland Forward’s research on economic mobility and innovation.

Will’s path reflects a subtle but important shift underway in technical education. For decades, computer science was seen primarily as a gateway to software development. But today, graduates are using the same foundational skills—logic, abstraction, data modeling—to illuminate problems far beyond code. Will is part of that evolution.

“Working alongside AI makes me a more productive data scientist,” he says. “Rather than automate everything and risk losing essential skills, I use AI to test solutions and accelerate implementation. The combination of human and artificial intelligence is powerful.”

His philosophy is simple: technology should serve as an extension of human judgment when the task at hand warrants it, that power lies in partnership. He likens AI not to the internet’s vast connectivity but to the calculator’s quiet precision—a tool that delivers instant answers, provided the human mind knows what to ask.

That distinction matters. It underscores a worldview at the core of the heartland ethos: that tools have value only in the hands of people who use them wisely. And it captures a truth about the future of work—especially in the heartland—that progress depends as much on cultivating character and creativity as on teaching technical skill.

While Will’s story may not be unique, it is indicative of the future. Across the region, computer science graduates are applying their talents to health care, agriculture, education and policy. They are building bridges between technology and human need—between the logic of systems and the complexity of communities.

At Heartland Forward, Will’s work contributes to research that measures the heartland’s progress and illuminates pathways for shared prosperity. His journey embodies a principle central to our mission: when communities invest in talent, connect people to opportunity and nurture curiosity, innovation and economic success follows naturally.

Heartland Forward’s initiatives reflect that same conviction, whether it be through our rootEd Arkansas program which equips rural high school students with dedicated advisors who help them envision and prepare for meaningful careers; our partnership with Stemuli, which introduces AI literacy through immersive, gamified learning experiences that make complex ideas accessible and engaging; or our work on Connecting the Heartland, which has brought high-speed internet to more than 120,000 households. At the heart of it, it comes down to fostering purpose through opportunity, cultivating technical and creative skill and expanding access to possibility.

These investments share a unifying belief: the future of the heartland will be built not only by those who can write code, but by those who can think critically, collaborate across disciplines and use new tools to grow teams, communities and states—alongside the people that make the heartland and our country special.

In Will’s story, we see more than a reflection of technological change—we see the promise of a generation whose curiosity and commitment will shape the next chapter of the heartland’s growth. By investing in talent, expanding access to opportunity and driving action, we are not simply preparing for the future—we are ensuring the heartland as the opportunity to lead.