The Vermont State Educator – November 2024

Teaching Tip: Supporting Rural Students

_{Jeff Tunney
Associate Director of the Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation}

In recent years, the terms education desert and learning desert have become more recognizable. Although definitions can vary, they are akin to food deserts, which are geographic regions in which healthy food isn’t readily available. In the case of higher learning, education deserts are areas in which post-secondary education is limited or entirely out of reach. Fortunately, the expansion of broadband Internet access and the growth of hybrid and online modalities is creating more opportunities for rural Vermonters to attend college, but this demographic of student often has unique challenges that should be considered as we support them in their academic journeys.

The focal point of the February 2024 issue of the Vermont State Educator was on supporting first generation college students, and some of the support strategies from that issue of the newsletter are also applicable to rural students who are often first gen students as well. Some additional tips pertaining to rural students are outlined below:

• Social networks – For rural students on campus who are accustomed to tight social networks, participation in collegiate organizations assists in the adjustment process (Byun et al., 2012). Encouraging them to join clubs and student groups could be helpful in getting rural students to form bonds with their classmates. Also, encouraging rural students to form study groups could be helpful in easing their transition to a setting with unfamiliar cultural norms.
• Community-focused assignment(s) – Consider developing an assignment, or assignments, that analyze issues present in the students’ communities or hometowns. Such activities can help students reflect critically on their communities, develop communication and other skills, and identify solutions to social problems (Greenberg, London, & McKay 2020; Hall & Jones, 2021; Wollschleger, 2019). This approach of connecting content to students’ communities also allows rural students to capitalize on strengths, such as existing connections to place and family support, while also highlighting the diversity of rural communities (Ardoin, 2017; Whiteside, 2021).
• Use the data – If your course uses data, such as the statistics available through entities such as the Census Bureau (census.gov) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov), consider integrating a comparative assignment that analyzes experiences or trends in urban, suburban, and rural settings.
• Classroom discussion – If a course delves into discussions about social stereotypes and discrimination, holding a discussion about the perceptions of urbanites and those living in rural regions could be a productive exercise.

By 2027, 70% of U.S. jobs are predicted to require education beyond high school (Blumenstyk, 2020). Rural areas face workforce shortages in business, healthcare, technology, and education, as well as an overall need for higher-skilled employees with bachelor’s degrees (Bozarth & Strifler, 2019). As a result, institutional commitments to the education of our rural students will yield positive outcomes not only for the students themselves, but also for the small communities in Vermont they may return to following their studies.

References and Additional Reading:

• Ardoin, S. (2017). College aspirations and access in working-class rural communities: The mixed signals, challenges, and new language first-generation students encounter. Lexington Books.
• Blumenstyk, G. (2020, January 22). By 2020, They Said, 2 Out of 3 Jobs Would Need More Than a High-School Diploma. Were They Right? The Edge: The Chronicle of Higher Education. https://www.chronicle.com/newsletter/the-edge/2020-01-22
• Bozarth, A., & Strifler, W.M. (2019). Strengthening workforce development in rural areas: 2019 Federal reserve system. Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. https://www.investinwork.org/-/media/Project/Atlanta/IAW/Files/reports/strengtheningworkforce-development-rural-areas.pdf.
• Byun, S., Meece, J., Irvin, M., & Hutchins, B. (2012). The role of social capital in educational aspirations of rural youth. Rural Sociology, 77, 355–379. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1549-0831.2012.00086.x
• Chandler, J. & Baeta, D. (2023). National rural college completion Trends, challenges, and solutions. The Institute for College Access & Success. https://ticas.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/2023.-Rural-College-Completion-National-Primer_v2.pdf
• Hillman, N., & Weichman, T. (2016). “Education deserts”: The continued significance of “place” in the twenty-first century. Viewpoints: Voices from the Field. Washington, DC: American Council on Education. https://www.acenet.edu/Documents/Education-Deserts-The-Continued-Significance-of-Place-in-the-Twenty-First-Century.pdf
• Grant, P. D., & Kniess, D. (2023). “I just kind of felt like country come to town:” College student experiences for rural students at one flagship university. The Rural Educator, 44(3), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.55533/2643-9662.1357
• Greenberg, M., London, R. A., & McKay, S. C. (2020). Community-Initiated Student-Engaged Research: Expanding Undergraduate Teaching and Learning through Public Sociology. Teaching Sociology, 48(1), 13–27.
• Manly, C.A., Wells, R.S. & Kommers S. (2020). “Who are rural students? How definitions of rurality affect research on college completion. Research in Higher Education, 61:764–779. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-019-09556-w
• McNamee, T. C., & Ganss, K.M. (2023). Rural students in higher education: From college preparation and enrollment to experiences and persistence. Peabody Journal of Education, 98:4, 380-395. https://doi.org/10.1080/0161956X.2023.2238508
• Stough-Hunter, A. & Lekies, K. (2023). Effectively engaging first generation rural students in higher education: New opportunities for sociology. American Sociological Association. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0092055X231174516
• Whiteside, J. L. (2021). Becoming academically eligible: University enrollment among first-generation, rural college goers. Rural Sociology, 86(2), 204–228. https://doi.org/10.1111/ruso.12353
• Wollschleger, J. (2019). Making it count: Using real-world projects for course assignments. Teaching Sociology, 47(4), 314–324. https://doi.org/10.1177/0092055X19864422
  

University Partner Update – Student Success

Updates from the Tactical Team and Strategy Committee

Since launching early in 2024, the Tactical Team and Strategy Committee have identified and addressed a number of barriers to student success. The teams work together closely to enhance the student experience and improve student outcomes.  Here are the highlights of progress so far this fall:

Action Items:

• Student Employment Proposal – The purpose of this proposal is to improve the student employment process including the creation of a student employment advisory board and a comprehensive marketing and education campaign designed to expand access to on-campus employment opportunities and create stronger connections between students and the campus community, as well as promote financial security and improve job readiness.  The proposal was approved on October 21.

• Mental Health Recommendation – The purpose of this recommendation is to increase mental health services offered at VTSU, especially for online students who reside outside of Vermont. The solution would also provide 24/7 access for all community members to TalkNow, telehealth psychiatry care for all students, and access to mental health care providers from diverse backgrounds. The recommendation was endorsed conceptually on October 21and the Executive Leadership Team will include the request for funding in the FY26 budget process.
• Winter Session – Increasing the number and variety of courses offered during the winter session (also known as Jan-term) was raised earlier this semester as a way for students to stay on track for graduation. Students who drop or fail classes in the fall or are looking for extra courses can “catch up” on credits or “get ahead” by taking classes during the winter session. Representatives from the Tactical team will bring this recommendation to the Academic Calendar committee for consideration. In the meantime, the academic deans and the faculty are encouraged to offer a range of courses suitable for students with fewer than 60 credits, especially general education courses, during the upcoming 2025 winter session.

Other Updates:

• FAFSA Completion Initiative: VTSU partnered with VSAC to increase the number of FAFSA completers last summer. Work continues to encourage and incentivize students to complete the FAFSA in the first 90 days for the 2025 – 2026 year. Stay tuned for the FAFSA Completion Campaign and Workshops.
• Think 30: Research supports the concept that students who complete 30 credits during their first year (and every year!) are more likely to graduate on time. As advising and registration for the spring semester begin, talk with your students about on-time graduation and assist them to plan for 30 credits per year.
• Food/Transportation/Housing Insecurity Survey: In partnership with the University of Vermont, VTSU is surveying students about some of their basic needs to learn how to best offer support. In the meantime, each of VTSU’s main campuses offer a food pantry for students.
• Summer programming for international students: The Tactical team is exploring the possibility of offering a 2-week 3D Imaging course for international high school students from China. Stay tuned as the team develops a program.