The podcast “College Uncovered” episode titled The Rural Higher Education Blues offers an in-depth examination of the struggles rural students face in accessing higher education. It highlights how rural communities, already lacking options compared to their urban and suburban counterparts, are seeing further reductions in educational opportunities. Universities in these areas are cutting majors and programs, forcing students to either travel farther for education or give up on it entirely. This crisis is further deepening social, economic, and political divides between rural and non-rural areas.
Jon Marcus and Kirk Carapezza take listeners through stories like that of Maria Fields-Chism, a rural Arkansas student who faced significant barriers just to attend a nearby university. After graduating, she found that the university had cut many of the programs she had relied on, further limiting options for future students. Other speakers, like Dreama Gentry of Partners for Rural Impact, argue that these educational barriers also undermine the aspirations of young rural students. Despite rural students graduating high school at higher rates than urban and suburban students, their college enrollment rates are significantly lower.
The episode also touches on the hollowing out of rural higher education, with private colleges and smaller public universities either closing or cutting programs. Researchers like Andrew Koricich explain that rural areas often lack the variety and proximity of educational institutions that urban areas take for granted, leading to a scarcity of choices for students. This situation has worsened due to enrollment drops, the economic impact of COVID-19, and rural institutions’ lack of wealthy donors.
The episode also explores efforts to close the gap, such as the STARS Network, which aims to increase college recruitment in rural high schools. However, rural communities continue to feel disconnected from higher education opportunities, exacerbating a broader sense of disenchantment and fueling political grievances.
In short, The Rural Higher Education Blues highlights the challenges of rural education, the socio-economic impact of these barriers, and emerging efforts to create pathways for rural students to pursue higher education.
