Date of Award
Spring 2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Department
Education Policy, Planning, and Administration
Committee Chairperson
Orkideh Mohajeri, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Kristen Crossney, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Taryn Myers, Ph.D.
Abstract
This qualitative study examines the relationship between identity and sense of belonging in college for students from rural parts of Pennsylvania. Rural students can struggle with identity and belonging in college and need support from student services. I used the theories of belonging and intersectionality as the theoretical frameworks for the study. Participants are from four high schools in rural Pennsylvania and are participants in a community-based organization and scholarship program. Nine participants were used for the study. Participants completed a brief questionnaire and a 1-2 hour in depth individual interview. The questionnaire items collected demographic information on participants to determine eligibility. Phenomenological interviews were conducted with selected participants. Semi-structured interview questions following a phenomenological methodology were used and responses were analyzed to better understand the lived experiences of participants. Data was coded both inductively and deductively, and seven themes were identified. Insights from the literature helped to identify some key findings. The data illustrates the connection between identity and belonging, and their influence on the college experience for rural students. Participants were able to make meaning of how identity and sense of belonging shaped their college experience through the development of deeper identity awareness and recognition of the salience of their rural identity.
Recommended Citation
Jackson, Kim D., ""It's a Different Kind of Grit": The Lived Experiences of Identity and Sense of Belonging for Rural College-Going Students" (2025). West Chester University Doctoral Projects. 284.
https://digitalcommons.wcupa.edu/all_doctoral/284