Two East Texas A&M University professors took their research on rural education to an international audience in Australia in August.

Dr. Kriss Kemp-Graham and Dr. Sharonda Pruitt, faculty members in ETAMU's Department of Educational Leadership, presented at the University of Melbourne School of Education on Aug. 6. They also presented at the National Conference for Regional, Rural and Remote Education in Ballarat, Victoria, later in the month.

Their work highlighted findings from Attaining College Entry and Success, or ACES, a five-year initiative supported by a $1.23 million U.S. Department of Education grant. ACES focuses on creating stronger pathways between rural schools and universities while helping students successfully transition to and persist in higher education. The professors also shared the Kemp-Graham Theory of Rural Student Belonging and Persistence, which emphasizes making universities more responsive to the experiences and strengths rural students bring to campus.

The research found that rural students benefit from sustained partnerships between schools and universities that provide mentoring, early college and career preparation, and continued support after students arrive on campus. Their work also emphasizes that universities can improve persistence by recognizing rural students' experiences as strengths and creating environments where they feel a genuine sense of belonging.

“The invitation to speak at the University of Melbourne School of Education and the acceptance of our research presentation at the National Conference for Regional, Rural and Remote Education in Ballarat signal the growing international reach of my rural education research agenda,” Kemp-Graham said. “This global engagement with the ACES grant findings and the introduction of the Kemp-Graham Theory of Rural Student Belonging and Persistence opens new avenues for cross-national collaboration.”

Pruitt said the experience reinforced the potential of partnerships between rural school districts and universities.

“The global interest in our findings affirms the importance of my work on school district leadership and university partnerships in rural communities,” Pruitt said. “It also energizes my next phase of research: examining how these collaborative structures can be strengthened and scaled to support rural students' college and career success.”

ETAMU's Department of Educational Leadership prepares leaders for K-12 education through master's and doctoral programs and principal and superintendent preparation programs. Its faculty bring extensive K-12 administrative experience to their teaching, connecting research, theory and practice to prepare students for leadership roles in Texas and beyond.