Research Summary from the 2018 Rural Higher Education Institute

Credo was honored to be a part of the inaugural Rural Higher Education Institute, an event focused on the value of, and challenge to, rural colleges and universities across the country.The inaugural Rural Higher Education Institute convened with 16 institutions and organizations represented by 27 presidents and senior leaders, coming together to examine issues such as:

• Redefining the narrative of rural education
• Strategic finance and rural philanthropy
• Leveraging community and municipal partnerships
• Recruitment and retention in rural areas
• Rural higher education's role in regional workforce development 
• Diversity in rural areas

Before this event, Credo dispatched a survey to the invited leaders of rural institutions. Some questions we had were about how to define rural (there are so many definitions!), and what high-impact practices, if any, are in place to serve and retain students from geographically rural locations. Ninety percent of respondents said they consider themselves to be geographically rural, and 88% said their institution enrolls a significant percentage of students from rural areas.

Four out of five respondents indicated that between 20% and 80% of the undergraduate students at their institution come from geographically rural areas. Roughly 10% were unsure about what percentage of their students come from geographically rural areas. Over one-quarter of respondents indicated that they have a high intentional focus on the health and sustainability of the rural community/communities around them. Roughly one-third had no intentional focus, or a low intentional focus on the health and sustainability of rural communities.

To read the full survey results, as well as the executive summary detailing the sessions, content, and follow-up data, please download the full report from the 2018 Rural Higher Education Institute.