Place, Class, and Gender: Intersecting Influences on Appalachian Women's Postsecondary Opportunities, Transitions, and Freshman Experiences

• In Event: Rural Postsecondary Quandaries

Abstract

This qualitative research seeks to understand the ways in which Appalachian women’s identities of gender, class, and place intersect to influence perceptions of college access, transitions to college, and postsecondary experiences in a new urban environment. The study finds these identities have divergent levels of influence across participants, particularly with respect to place and class. Additionally, this study finds gender as an important implicit influence on perceived postsecondary responsibilities and definitions of success.

Authors

• Katlin Swisher, West Virginia University

• Erin McHenry-Sorber, West Virginia University