Dr. Ty C. McNamee

Educational attainment in rural America rises, but urban areas widen the degree gap. Formal educational attainment in rural (nonmetropolitan) America has grown over time, but the attainment gap between rural and urban (metropolitan) areas persists.

USDA Economic Research Service, B. Genetin, 2025

OPINION: Rural community colleges are uniquely positioned to tackle complex regional challenges and drive community transformation. Here's how. Rural community colleges must become rural development hubs, delivering value by bridging economic, social and civic sectors to address regional challenges. Here are three lessons from high-performing...

OPINION: Rural community colleges are uniquely positioned to tackle complex regional challenges and drive community transformation. Here’s how hechingerreport.org/opinion-rura... via @hechingerreport.org

New pub on the role rural-located/serving higher ed institutions play in rural college success, co-authored w/ Dr. @sonjaardoin.bsky.social and part of @routledgebooks.bsky.social Handbook on Postsecondary Student Success, edited by Drs. Shouping Hu and Joe O'Shea! www.routledge.com/The-Routledg...

Had such a positive experience speaking at a seminar in Detroit about rural education/higher ed this week! One of my favorite parts was getting to hang with two of my favs, Professors Darris Means and Karen Eppley! See y’all next month at the National Rural Education Association annual conference! ❤️

Student support services funding is on the line as Congress crafts the budget The TRIO Student Support Services program helps low-income, first generation and disabled students navigate the twists and turns of college. Nearly 400 students use the program at Central Wyoming Coll...

The University of Wyoming and Wyo community colleges receive TRIO funding to help low-income, first-generation, and disabled students, many with families and jobs. With TRIO up for debate in the federal budget, such students’ ed plans could be at stake.

www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/education/20...

Apply by September 5th for the 2025-26 Mississippi Education Policy Fellowship, hosted by the Rural Education Research and Initiatives Lab at the Social Science Research Center at Mississippi State University!

I had such a positive experience in this program and recommend it to Mississippi folks!

"@arrc.bsky.social-Led Rural Talent Lab Launches Inaugural Cohort: 5 States Commit to Building Career-Connected Credential Pathways in Rural America"

Honored to continue work with this amazing Ascendium-funded lab! We're excited to have KS, MT, NH, PA, & WV as our inaugural state partner cohort!

Rethinking Pathways for Students in Rural Communities Rethinking pathways for students in rural communities.

The Bachelor’s Degree: Rethinking pathways for students in rural communities via @insidehighered.com

www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...

HELP, Y'ALL!🙏🙂

I am serving this year as Program Co-Chair for the AERA Division J - Section 2a: College Student Access, Trajectories, & Transitions. Even after inviting many folks, we are short this year on our # of reviewers. If you can review some proposals for our section, please comment below.

Rural Scholars Academy grows, builds on success WashU’s Rural Scholars Academy welcomed its third cohort of high school juniors to campus this month for college classes, admissions workshops and field trips to St. Louis attractions. Ten members of ...

I get so so excited to see these amazing rural college access programs Washington University in St. Louis and other institutions are doing in recent years, led by the fantastic Dacoda Scarlett! 👏 Keep it up, y’all!

source.washu.edu/2025/07/rura...

The in-person kickoff of our Ascendium-funded @ruraltalentlab.bsky.social was such a positive experience! I think we all left feeling ready to continue our rural higher ed and workforce work and research across 5 states! To learn more about what we are doing: www.regionalcolleges.org/project/rura...

I’m SO excited to have been elected Program Co-Chair of the @aeraedresearch.bsky.social Rural Education SIG! THANK YOU to all who voted for me! Looking forward to serving alongside my Co-Chair Kessa Roberts, under SIG Chair Cat Biddle! Can’t wait to plan an awesome rural-focused program for y’all! 👏

Submissions for the 2026 @aeraedresearch.bsky.social Annual Meeting are due soon, 7/25!

We on the AERA #DivisionJ Program Planning Committee and the #RuralEd SIG Program Planning Committee are looking forward to your submissions! 🙂

To learn more and submit: www.aera.net/Events-Meeti...

Thank you tons, friend!! 😁

So excited to start my new professor role today in the Dept of Educational Policy Studies & Evaluation at the Uni of Kentucky! Looking forward to continuing my research on rural higher ed issues, teaching education classes, and serving communities at the local, regional, state, and national levels!

RELEASE: Rural Students Disproportionately Harmed by Trump’s Attacks on Education

RELEASE: Rural Students Disproportionately Harmed by Trump’s Attacks on Education via @americanprogress.bsky.social

www.americanprogress.org/press/releas...

Preparing Rural Students for College and Beyond by Improving Access to Coursework To better prepare rural students for postsecondary opportunities, federal and state policymakers must increase rural access to high-quality, rigorous coursework.

Preparing Rural Students for College and Beyond by Improving Access to Coursework via @americanprogress.bsky.social

www.americanprogress.org/article/prep...

“Exploring Pride and Support of LGBTQ+ Young People in Rural Communities” via @btwfoundation.bsky.social and Hopelab

assets.hopelab.org/wp-content/u...

My book on rural, poor and working-class college students is now available to purchase! THANK YOU to folks who supported me in this journey, the amazing students who shared their stories with me, and of course my fantastic publisher #RoutledgeBooks!

www.routledge.com/The-Cultural...

@jqtsie.bsky.social is in search of new Editorial Board members, particularly Associate and Consulting Editors! You can nominate others or yourself. I’m on the Board and have had a positive experience! 🙂
 
To learn more about the roles and to nominate/self-nominate: tinyurl.com/jqtsienomina...

In five rural California counties, community college access is lacking | Opinion “Geographic isolation and limited transportation options in rural counties create substantial barriers to higher education access.”

In five rural California counties, community college access is lacking | Opinion via @sacbee.com

Read more at: www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-e...

Hi folks! We are sending out reviewer invitation emails to those who would be great reviewers for #AERA Division J but didn't get the opportunity to sign up to be reviewers yet. If you study college access, trajectories, and/or transitions and want to review, let me know ASAP! 🙂

Abandoning Students in Rural America: The Real Cost of the Trump Administration’s Education Budget The Trump administration recently released their budget summary, which makes one thing heartbreakingly clear: America’s students will be left behind,

Abandoning Students in Rural America: The Real Cost of the Trump Administration’s Education Budget via @tcfdotorg.bsky.social

tcf.org/content/comm...

Rural Communities Are Changing: So Too Must Land Grant Universities and Cooperative Extension Services Rural areas are experiencing increased in-migration and economic opportunities.Land-grant universities support rural workforce and community development through partnerships, applied research, and ...

“Rural Communities Are Changing: So Too Must Land Grant Universities and Cooperative Extension Services” by Sarah Pingel & Artemio Cardenas via Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

@nchems.bsky.social

a group of people are holding rainbow flags and a banner that says " happy pride " ALT: a group of people are holding rainbow flags and a banner that says " happy pride "

Happy Pride!! 👏 Can’t think of a better time than right now to say WE ARE HERE AND WON’T BE GOING AWAY.

🖤🤎🩷❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

Thank you so much!! 😁

Excited to announce my book from #Routledge #TaylorandFrancis is available to pre-order! I received my copy today and am looking forward to folks reading about rural, poor and working-class students in higher ed and policy/practice to support their degree attainment!

tinyurl.com/RuralPoorWor...

📣 Calling all rural education leaders and changemakers! Don’t miss the 2025 National Forum to Advance Rural Education—October 13–15 in Salt Lake City. Register now 👉 www.nrea.net/nfare
#RuralEdForum #RuralEducation #EdLeadership

Join this webinar to learn more about how to define rurality and potential state funding strategies that have the potential to sustain rural colleges and universities.

6/18/25, 12pm CT sponsored by @nchems.bsky.social

us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Pub alert! Towards a Critical Rural Education Line of Inquiry: Rural Spaces as Multi-Identity Contexts published in the Handbook on Rural and Remote Ed. Honored to have written this piece w/ Dr. Jenay Willis and @jrdavisroger.bsky.social! THANK YOU to the editors! www.elgaronline.com/edcollbook/b...