“The goal of RASI is to extend a branch to students of rural backgrounds. Rural students do not receive necessary support from the campus academic ecosystem. We amplify the diversity within the rural community while providing rural students exposure to different cultures and identities they may be unfamiliar with. We have shown that rural students don't look, sound, or behave a certain way. I am an Asian American Buddhist who grew up in a predominantly white Protestant area in rural Arkansas. The Y understood that ‘rural’ is not a monolith, our cause is overlooked, and rural students face many barriers. We chose the Y because our core values align and it's the perfect place to bridge the gap between rural and non-rural students.”