The Rural College Student Experience
The Rural College Student Experience is the first and only podcast dedicated exclusively to centering rural college student voices in conversations about higher education access and equity. This podcast is a space for rural students to share their stories, inspire others, and challenge the misconceptions about rural college students.
Hosted by Dr. Matt Newlin (mattnewlin.com), RCSE features student guests —a currently enrolled undergraduate or graduate student from a rural background—who shares their experiences navigating college. Together, we discuss the barriers and challenges rural students face, as well as the resilience, strengths, and successes that define our journeys.
Find us on Bluesky: @rcsepod.bsky.social
The Rural College Student Experience
Episode #12: The Rural Identity in K-12 Education
Welcome to Episode 12 of the Rural College Student Experience. Today, co-host Sara Wiggington joins host Dr. Matt Newlin to talk about the rural identity in K-12 spaces and how that can impact rural students' postsecondary experiences. Sara is a Master’s degree student at Purdue University who also teaches 4th grade at Green Meadows Intermediate in Frankfort, Indiana. Sara attended Ball State University as an undergraduate and just completed her 21st year of teaching in both rural and urban districts. During our conversation she shares wonderful insight and knowledge about the rural identity in K-12 spaces and the transition to college for rural learners.
Sara and Matt are joined by guest Dr. Chea Parton, a farm girl and a former rural student and English teacher. She is currently a visiting assistant professor of curriculum and instruction at Purdue University where she advocates for rural representation in her teacher education classes. Dr. Parton created her website, Literacy In Place, and her YouTube series/podcast Reading Rural YAL to help disrupt stereotypical notions of rurality and to help rural teachers get rural books in the hands of rural readers. You can follow Dr. Parton on Twitter (@readingrural) and Instagram (@dr_chea_parton).
Please be sure to subscribe to the Rural College Student Experience wherever you download your podcasts so you’ll be notified when a new episode is available. Also, follow us on Twitter (@rcsepod) and our partners Believe in Students (@believestudents).