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Rural Renewal Initiative

The Rural Scholars program is designed to positively impact rural communities and Oklahoma State University undergraduate and graduate students. The Rural Scholars program will mobilize students at OSU to conduct research on leading issues and grand challenges impacting rural communities in Oklahoma and beyond.

Nine OSU students are serving rural Oklahoma communities in the summer of 2024. Learn more about them and their work below.


Rural Scholars

Mamata Pandey
Graduate student in Biosystems Engineering, studying water-related concerns in agricultural communities in southwest Oklahoma
Sara Howard
Junior in Agricultural Communications studying how weather variability and climate is addressed in educational settings
Samantha Starcher
Junior in Environmental Science studying surface water quality in southwest Oklahoma
Olivia Coody
Freshman in Math studying sustainable rural healthcare services
Molly Moody
Senior in Agribusiness and Agricultural Communications studying perceptions relating to citizen journalism and local news access
Mariela Kundak
Junior in Rangeland Management studying perspectives of Oklahoma women in agriculture
Joel Sahmaunt
Sophomore in Psychology studying how to improve the lives of rural Oklahomans through increasing protective factors by learning strategies of resilience from the American Indian culture 
Erik Inman
Senior in Industrial Engineering and Management studying non-emergency medical service accessibility  
Emily Sells
Junior in Animal Science studying how to improve the lives of rural Oklahomans through increasing protective factors by learning strategies of resilience from the American Indian culture 

 

Check out 2024 Rural Scholar Research Posters!