Community colleges have traditionally assisted students in gaining affordable education to either transfer to a four-year college, or receive technical training to enter the workforce (Kahlenberg, 2012; Laanan, Hardy, & Katsinas, 2006). Since the economic downturn of 2008 there has been greater pressure put on community colleges to update their progrmas in order to re-train dislocated workers in areas of need and to play a greater role in their local communities to assist in improving economic opportunities (Phelps, 2012). Current research on the role community colleges play outside their academic offerings is very limited. Additionally, current research does not distinguish among varying types of community colleges. The Carnegie Classifications made their first sub-classifications in 2005 which identified community colleges as either urban, suburban, or rural (Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, 2013). Since the new sub-classifications there has not been research examining rural community colleges. Using the learning region framework and the concept of human capital as conceptual frameworks the purpose of this study was to examine how one rural community colleges engages with their local community. Specifically, this study identified who the key stakeholders were that the college worked with most closely. Second, this study examined the relationships between the stakeholders, and how the college supported lifelong learning and economic development for the region. Data was collected through interviews, observations, document review, and a survey of business owners. The findings of this study suggest that the rural community college has stronger relationships with their stakeholders when they have a specific project to work on. The findings also indicate that the relationships with their key stakeholders are dependent on strong leadership and leaders that are committed to improving the local community. Challenges experienced by the rural community college that inhibit their ability to connect with their stakeholders were limited resources and a negative community mentality around lifelong learning. The study also found that the college does not serve as a driver of economic development for the region, but rather works to support a separate economic development organization in the region. The implications of these findings on the rural community college and future research are also presented.
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