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The Rural College Student Experience

The Rural College Student Experience is the only podcast dedicated exclusively to centering rural college student voices in broader conversations about higher education access and equity. Hosted by Dr. Matt Newlin (www.mattnewlin.com), each episode will feature a co-host who is a currently enrolled student from a rural community. Co-hosts will share their perspectives on higher education and the needs of students from rural backgrounds. Each episode will also feature a guest who will bring additional insight and perspectives to the rural college student experience. Guests are researchers, scholars, practitioners, or counselors whose work focuses primarily on rural students in college. Follow RCSE on Twitter at @rcsepod. The Rural College Student Experience is presented in partnership with Believe in Students (www.believeinstudents.org). Believe in Students is the nation’s only non-profit organization focused exclusively on helping college students to meet their basic needs.

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The Rural College Student Experience

Washington University Heartland Initiative

March 15, 2024 • Matt Newlin • Season 3 • Episode 18

On this episode, Dr. Matt Newlin is joined by co-host Mallorie Goodwin to discuss the Heartland Initiative at Washington University in St. Louis. Mallorie is a sophomore at Wash U and grew up in Waynesville, Missouri, about two hours west of St. Louis. She is also a Rural Peer Ambassador working to increase enrollment and belonging for other rural students.

Joining Matt and Mallorie is Dacoda Scarlett, Associate Director for Rural Recruitment, Undergraduate Admissions at Washington University in St. Louis. Dacoda shares how WashU is trying to attract and retain more rural students. He also talks about the university's participation in the larger STARS College Network.

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