Exploring How Rural Schools and Communities Influence the Academic Journeys of College Students in STEM Majors

An incongruence exists between the growing job opportunities in rural areas and the educational opportunities provided to rural students, especially in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Positive change is possible, however. As one means to tackle this complex issue, this study sought to understand the perceptions and experiences of students who graduated from rural high schools and pursued STEM majors in college as exemplars of rural students who pursued postsecondary education in STEM disciplines. This phenomenological study explored how college students in STEM majors perceived their rural schools and communities as influencing their academic journeys. Rather than focusing only on deficits and inequities associated with rurality, this study employed the rural cultural wealth (RCW) framework to highlight the agency and capital rural students employed within their journeys. Qualitative data analysis revealed that participants’ comments about their rural schools and communities were diverse. The findings also aligned and extended current literature and the RCW framework. These insights into these STEM students’ rural backgrounds and academic journeys were then used to create recommendations for future P–20 educational research, practices, and policies.