Rural and Small Town Students

The ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú´«Ã½ÎÄ»¯×÷Æ· Rural Network recognizes that students from rural and small towns have unique experiences that may differ from their urban peers and directly impact their college experience. As a national public research university, ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú´«Ã½ÎÄ»¯×÷Ʒ’s mission, based in Colorado statute, is to serve the entire state, which includes students from small towns. With a commitment to build a more diverse campus community, rural students, both from inside and outside of Colorado make ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú´«Ã½ÎÄ»¯×÷Æ· a better place to live, learn, and build community.

Student Support Resources

While there is no specific rural student organization on campus, the following resources/offices are often helpful to ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú´«Ã½ÎÄ»¯×÷Æ· students from small towns.

Discover the multitude of academic support resources available to ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú´«Ã½ÎÄ»¯×÷Æ· students, including campus-wide tutoring, department-specific resources, writing/language support, and academic help for specific student populations.

A few opportunities are highlighted here that rural students are encourage to apply for:

  • National Scholarships 

  • ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú´«Ã½ÎÄ»¯×÷Æ· Scholarships

Find programs that connect students, faculty and staff with communities, and learn about that ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú´«Ã½ÎÄ»¯×÷Æ· is having across the state of Colorado.

°Õ³ó¾±²õÌýemergency fund provides support to ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú´«Ã½ÎÄ»¯×÷Æ· students experiencing hardship that could adversely affect their semester. All students in need are encouraged to apply!

seeks to create an inclusive campus for all students through programs, scholarships, partnerships and the work done in their units. 

  • Center for Inclusion in Social Change (CISC): Provides high-impact, transformational community-building and educational programs to the ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú´«Ã½ÎÄ»¯×÷Æ· community. The center's First-Generation Programs & Enrichment Office supports first-generation students with innovative programs that amplify their diverse voices and builds community and strong academic foundations during college. 
  • Office of Precollege Outreach and Engagement: Prepares middle and high school students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds to succeed in college. Their Partnership Outreach Program works directly with several rural areas by partnering with schools and other community organizations. Although they mostly work with high school students, the staff in the Office of Precollege Outreach and Engagement are always happy to support current ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú´«Ã½ÎÄ»¯×÷Æ· students from rural communities. 

The CU Leadership, Excellence, Achievement, Diversity (LEAD) Alliance is comprised of school, college and campuswide programs that focus on inclusivity and student success and provide participation scholarships, academic enrichment and shared peer experiences.

SASC is multi-cultural academic learning community, serving low income and first-generation college students in four academic programs with academic skills development, math and writing courses, supplementary instruction, tutoring, pre-collegiate opportunities and graduate research programs.

VMA can assist with pay, programs, policy, information and support for current student veterans and veteran dependents. If you consider yourself a rural veteran, make sure to be in touch with the VMA professionals.

Connect

Students interested in creating a campus organization specific to rural and small town students should reach out directly by email.