Rural students are a unique population who tend to be overlooked on campuses, despite having hurdles to overcome that some argue are similar if not greater than their peers in urban areas. Rural students are more likely to graduate high school than urban and suburban students according to the NCES and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Despite their higher likelihood to graduate high school, rural students are less likely to enroll in institutions of higher education. This trend has several implications. It may be due to a lack of family support, whether financial or cultural, to continue education. It may be because the student has to leave their home to seek out an institution because there are fewer institutions in rural locales. These are a few of the many factors to consider why rural students may be less likely to enroll in institutions of higher education. In the students who do pursue higher education, student development theorists posit that the college campus environment will change the student. The change that rural students experience can be compared to a magnitude 7 earthquake, and the very foundation of their identities may be destroyed. The foundational shift compounds if students realize they cannot return to their hometowns because not only have their viewpoints changed, there will be no job opportunities for them. Faculty and college personnel can guide rural students throughout their campus experiences and become campus champions. This article offers a general framework that resonates with rural populations of college students. Four keys to rural student retention are provided.