Tucson Standard

The University of Arizona has joined the STARS College Network to enhance support for prospective students from rural areas. Kasey Urquídez, now the university's chief enrollment officer, vice president for enrollment management, and dean of undergraduate admissions, recalls her own experience transitioning from a small town in Graham County to the sprawling Tucson campus.

"It was one of the scariest experiences of my life," said Urquídez. "Coming from a very small place, you're usually the big fish in a small pond, and coming here, you're this little itty-bitty fish in this enormous ocean and it feels so daunting."

Urquídez went on to earn multiple degrees and has worked at the university since 1994. She understands how overwhelming college can be for students from rural areas and is leading efforts to better serve these students.

The STARS College Network supports high school students from small towns by helping them visit member campuses, prepare for college, and receive support during their programs. The network was established last year with a $20 million gift from Trott Family Philanthropies and an additional $50 million donation to support outreach by member schools.

New members this year include Dartmouth University, Duke University, Stanford University, UC Berkeley, Notre Dame, USC among others. Founding members include Brown University, Caltech, Case Western Reserve University, Columbia University among others. The network is headquartered at the University of Chicago.

Students from rural communities often face unique obstacles to attending college. In Arizona, fewer than half of high school students go on to college; this rate is even lower in rural areas like Pinal County (38%) and Yuma County (36%).

The AZ 60 Action Plan aims for 60% of Arizona residents aged 25-64 to have a two- or four-year degree by 2030; currently that number stands at 48%.

"There's no way to grow that number without growing the number of students who are taking part in post-secondary education," Urquídez said. "We know that there are so many outstanding students in our rural areas that just maybe don't know of their opportunities. We want to help."

As a land-grant research institution in a largely rural state, U of A strives to reach and support rural students through various initiatives including campus visits like Arizona Road Trip for ninth and tenth graders.

With its new membership in STARS College Network, U of A aims to increase prospective student visits and share ideas with other network members.

"We know that when prospective students get the experience of seeing and feeling our campus for themselves...it makes all the difference," Urquídez said. "We want to ensure that our students from rural areas get that true feeling...and they feel like a star when they're here."