Paving the Road Back to Postsecondary Success: Promising Institutional Practices for Reengaging Rural Learners
The barriers to getting to and through college for students living in rural communities are deep, persistent, and require solutions designed to leverage community assets while addressing the challenges that rural students and the colleges that serve them face. Reengaging rural students with some college and no credential requires intentional commitment from institutions that understand both the structural barriers these students face and the strengths they bring to their educational journeys, and rural-serving institutions are uniquely positioned to lead this work.
This guide, created as part of the TICAS Rural Reconnect Initiative, outlines five promising strategies that emerged from the initiative and provides practice-based examples that colleges can use at various stages of their rural reengagement efforts.
The recommended practices draw on existing research and stakeholder engagement, including documented strategies for addressing re-enrollment barriers and insights from institutional leaders, state policymakers, national experts, and adult learners.
Meet our Experts
Valerie Crespín-Trujillo, Ph.D.
Senior Director, College Completion and Basic Needs PolicyValerie is the Senior Director, College Completion and Basic Needs Policy at TICAS. She leads TICAS' efforts to expand and align state and federal investment with evidence-based student supports that research has demonstrated empower more students to enroll and graduate from college.
