Storied experiences of non-traditional age women in rural community colleges in a mid-west state

Women living in rural communities often experience geographic and informational isolation, limited transportation, gender bias, educational limitations, and disproportionate poverty. Community colleges provide access to underrepresented populations, creating education opportunities for students that otherwise may not attend higher education. The intersection of non-traditional female students and higher education in rural colleges creates a space to hear the stories of these women. This study examines the stories of six women that have attended or are attending rural community colleges. These participants’ stories reflect their experiences as they navigated multiple roles while engaging in higher education. The findings of this research suggest that non-traditional females are successful in completing their associate’s degrees. Family support, intrinsic and extrinsic affirmation, and a passion to achieve an established objective are vital to their academic success. This study also examined the participants’ gendered roles and how their experiences in rural community college impacted their evolving identities. This study reveals that an associate’s degree is only the beginning; the participants continued their education to achieve advanced degrees. This research adds to qualitative research that uses narrative inquiry as a methodology. This approach values the voice of the individual as data for analysis of their stories.