Thesis advisor: Richard Tresch / The Appalachia region has long been plagued by economic depression. Poverty is prevalent in this region, along with low income, and high unemployment. The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) was established in 1965 to promote economic development and alleviate poverty the historically lagging region. Until 1983 the ARC functioned under a growth center strategy that channeled funds to Appalachian areas that were more economically stable and appeared promising. In 1983 the ARC undertook a major change in policy with the introduction of the Distressed Counties Program, which shifted the focus and funds to counties in severe economic duress. My thesis uses regression analysis to test the effect of the Distressed Counties Program on poverty rates, unemployment rates, and real per capita income of the distressed counties in Appalachia. / Thesis (BS) — Boston College, 2007. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Economics Honors Program.

The Commission on Religion in Appalachia (CORA) was a mission organization founded in 1965 to bring economic and religious uplift to Appalachia. CORA focused on rural areas and relied on prevalent stereotypes to define the region as homogenous and backward, and its definition permeated its mission work. CORA members were influenced by 1931 and 1958 religious surveys that largely reinforced established Appalachian stereotypes of poverty and isolation. However, Appalachia's urban areas offered a broader definition and understanding of the region. By 1900 there were examples of Jewish communities in Appalachian urban areas that persisted throughout the twentieth century. Urban areas also experienced trends that were seen throughout the south and the rest of the United States. CORA was a mission organization that was founded on an Appalachian identity highlighted by stereotypes of rural homogeneity and poverty, and they excluded urban areas from their definition.

This study was designed to investigate the experiences of first-generation women from South-Central Appalachia who completed a doctorate degree in educational leadership (EdD). Research indicates that nearly one third of doctoral recipients reported being first-generation, and the majority of these students concentrated in certain academic areas such as education. Furthermore, the literature suggests that there is a strong correlation between educational achievement levels and family background as well as cultural and geographic factors. While the amount of literature on minority groups has increased over the past 20 years, literature on the people and culture of Appalachia is limited. When first-generation status is paired with the challenges faced by females from Appalachia, such students could face particular issues that may impede their success. A qualitative, grounded theory approach was used for data collection and analysis. Ten face-to-face intensive interviews with women who met the criteria for this study were conducted. The purpose of these interviews was to enter into these women’s perspective, find out what was in and on their minds, and hear their stories. From the raw data 15 themes emerged which were 1) Support, 2) Parental Support), 3) Precollege Support, 4) Support from Precollege Orientation Experiences, 5) Support from Mentors, 6) Support from Cohorts, 7) Socioeconomic Status, 8) Intrinsic Motivation, 9) Transformation, 10) Self-Efficacy, 11) Persistence, 12) On Being Appalachian, 13) Kinship, 14) Dialect, and 15) Bicultural Identity. This research was significant because it was the first that looked specifically at the lived experiences of first-generation women from South-Central Appalachia who competed a doctorate of education EdD focusing on educational leadership and will contribute to the small body of research regarding first-generation, doctoral students.

The myth and image of Southern Appalachia spun by local color writers of the early nineteenth century and, later, by local elites in privileged positions of power have long cast the historiography of the region in tones of Caucasian lineage and remediation. The production of culture, contribution to community, and service to church and, family long considered to be the domain of women has predominantly been viewed from the privilege of a white perspective. Prescriptive definitions of a monochromatic culture in the Uplands of Southern Appalachia has written out the cultural contribution of diverse ethnicities who continue to call the region home. The purpose of this study is to illuminate the ways in which women of color and diversity contribute to the production of culture through service to their communities, volunteer outreach, and service in the church and, as models of core Appalachian values for their families.

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