This dissertation sought to interrogate the ways in which White, rural students from West Virginia conceptualized diversity before, during, and since their transition to a large PWI in their home state. Using Critical Whiteness Studies and intersectionality as driving theory, student participants and I engaged in deconstruction of privilege…

What works to help rural students succeed in higher education? In fall 2020, MDRC partnered with Rural Matters and Ascendium Education Group to produce a four-part podcast series called "Rural Higher Education: Challenges & Opportunities." The series gathered experts from across the country to examine the realities of rural life and…

In every state in the South, the percentage of residents with bachelor's degrees or higher who were born outside the state exceed the percentage born in-state, reflecting their dependence on imported talent over building their own talent-development systems. In Virginia, the Southern state with the highest percentage of residents with a B.A. or…

The study examined the placement of faculty on the Continuum of Multicultural Sensitivity at two rural higher education institutions located in the Appalachian region, which includes the states of Maine, New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia. This placement determined whether there were any significant differences…

The purpose of this study was to listen to rural students' voices about their present schoolwork and educational plans for the future and discern, via factor analyzing their survey responses, what they view as the most important factors in their academic performance and post-high school plans. The first objective was to access the 2001-2002,…

Making geriatric education available to rural faculty/preceptors, students, and practitioners presents many challenges. Often the only options considered for educating those in the health professions about geriatrics are either traditional face-to-face courses or distance education programs. The purpose of this paper was to examine the use of…