Rural to Campus: The Experiences of Black Rural Students Navigating an Urban Historically White Institution

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 9:50 am Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Navigating College Access and Rural Identities in Higher Education (Table 10)

Abstract

Recent discussions on rural America often overlook the diversity within these communities, particularly the experiences of Black rural students. This qualitative phenomenological study examined how these students transition to and navigate urban Historically White Institutions (HWIs). Using Yosso's Community Cultural Wealth Model, the research explored how Black rural students utilize various forms of cultural capital - aspirational, familiar, social, and navigational - to adapt to an urban college environment. Finings indicate that these students predominantly draw on aspirational and familial support, alongside social networks and navigational skills, to successfully manage their collegiate experience. This study underscores the need to recognize and support the diverse experiences of Black rural students in higher education.
Keywords: Black, rural, historically White institutions (HWIs), cultural wealth capital

Author

• Tepera R. Holman, University of Texas at Austin