John Palmer Rea grew up in a small town in Mississippi. As an undergraduate at Belmont University, he dealt with imposter syndrome, which made him wonder if he belonged on campus.

Now, his mission is to ensure that other rural students don’t feel the same way.

He leads the Small Town and Rural Students (STARS) College Network, which finds and supports students outside of major cities who have the potential to thrive in college.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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