"I didn’t have the same number of hours in the day as my peers. I was commuting, working, trying to figure out public transportation for the first time. And I was still expected to compete on the same level. We don’t lack drive or talent — we just don’t have the same time." 

That quote comes from Rin Baker, a rural student from upstate New York who joins Dr. Matt Newlin for the latest episode of the Rural College Student Experience. Rin is a first-generation student from Hartford, New York, a small rural town nestled in farmland. Rin is currently completing her M.A. in English at Georgetown University, where her thesis explores working-class autoethnography — a powerful form of memoir that captures the lived realities of working-class individuals in academic spaces. 

Rin shares her incredible journey through the SUNY system, navigating community college, multiple transfers, and the unique challenges of transitioning from rural life to a major city. She opens up about the institutional barriers she faced — from inaccessible public transportation to unfamiliar campus systems — and the resilience it took to succeed in elite academic environments. 

This episode touches on: 

• What it means to grow up with limited access but unlimited creativity
• How SUNY’s transfer system supported her educational path
• The loss and reclamation of her small-town accent
• The invisible costs of higher education for rural and working-class students
• Why rural students are some of the most resourceful, determined learners in the country

Whether you're a rural student, a first-gen scholar, or someone committed to educational equity, this episode will leave you inspired and informed. Rin’s story is one of grit, brilliance, and the quiet power of showing up — even when the odds are long.