As part of the STARS College Network, WashU has dedicated itself to connecting with, serving, and empowering students from small-town and rural America. By joining this network, WashU is building upon the Heartland Initiative, a program that launched in 2022 to aid students from rural and small-town communities across Missouri and southern Illinois with the college search and admissions process. Becoming a STARS College Network member allows WashU to directly impact communities across the country that have often been left out of higher-ed conversations, and help students find the school that is right for them—one that will support them throughout their time as a student and after graduation