Summer College Residency: Rural High School Students’ Experiences on Campus

• In Event: Saturday Roundtable Session 3:05 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Exploring Aspiration and Community Wealth in Rural Places (Table 27)

Abstract

This qualitative research study examined rural high school students’ six-week summer in-residency stay at an HSI flagship campus. Data collection included weekly surveys, observations, focus groups, and a culminating interview. This study was conducted by a multilayered team consisting predominantly of researchers with rural identities. Researchers had prolonged interactions with the participants, including two embedded researchers who lived in the same dorm as participants. Findings were translated into understandable and plain language that participants could take back to their families and communities as co-researchers in the study. These findings related to student belongingness and success included: Show up, Network, Apply yourself, and Pride in yourself (SNAP)—an acronym that participants could remember, understand, and explain to others.

Authors

• Emily J. Summers, Texas State University

• Gail Bernadine Sylvester-Conrad, Texas State University

• Melissa Garza, Charles Butt Foundation

• Megan Benavidez, Texas State University

• Stephen Oluwaseyi Maku, Texas State University

• Ray Cordero, Texas State University

• Lauren Sweeney, Texas State University

• Diane Ramirez, Texas State University