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Supported by a two-year grant, the Rural Student Success Network brings together 17 bachelor's degree-granting, rural-serving institutions committed to improving outcomes for community college transfer students and adult learners while aligning academic programs with local and regional workforce needs.

"Rural-serving institutions are engines of opportunity for students and communities alike," said Lisa Hunter, associate vice president for academic innovation and transformation. "Through this network, AASCU and Ithaka S+R are creating a structured space for institutions to learn from one another, strengthen student success strategies, and build capacity to meet the evolving needs of rural learners and regional economies."

Throughout the next two years, participating institutions will engage in peer learning, data-informed self-assessment, and targeted technical assistance. Each will receive a $15,000 subgrant from Ithaka S+R to support participation in convenings, data sharing, and continuous improvement activities. Institutions will also receive customized insights based on institutional, state, and federal data to help guide decision-making and program alignment.

At CSC, the initiative will support several goals, according to Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Kimberly Paddock-O’Reilly. CSC plans to re-engage 200 former students who stopped out at least one year ago through a targeted outreach and support program that includes personalized contact, a dedicated re-enrollment navigator, a streamlined readmission process, and intentional academic planning.

CSC aims to re-enroll 30 percent of those contacted during the 2026-27 academic year, with 60 percent persisting to a second semester or graduating after one semester.

"This effort partially overlaps with the ReEngage program and allows us to build on that work," Paddock-O’Reilly said.

The college also plans to strengthen transfer partnerships by developing articulated transfer pathways with at least 75 percent of community colleges within 200 miles of Chadron. By December, CSC expects to formalize at least 10 program-to-program transfer pathways and increase transfer enrollment with each partner institution by 20 percent by August 2027. Transfer students from partner institutions are expected to persist at the same or a higher rate than the overall CSC student population.

"The community college goal is about being true to our mission and finding ways to seamlessly move students from community colleges by maximizing the transfer of credit and being deliberate with advising at both schools," Paddock-O'Reilly said.

The Rural Student Success Network will culminate in a public case study report and summative brief authored by Ithaka S+R, offering actionable lessons and a roadmap for other rural-serving institutions nationwide. Through the collaboration, AASCU and Ithaka S+R aim to amplify effective practices, strengthen institutional capacity, and expand postsecondary opportunities for rural learners across the country.