Two Purdue University seniors in Agricultural Economics are graduating with honors in December 2025 after completing their theses using the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development’s (NCRCRD) survey data.
Kyla Wolfe examined child care access in rural Indiana for her thesis titled “The Opportunities and Challenges in Providing Accessible and Quality Child Care in Rural Indiana.” Working with co-advisors, Dr. Michael Wilcox, Associate Director of NCRCRD, and Dr. Zuzana Bednarik, Research and Extension Specialist with NCRCRD, Wolfe analyzed data from the NCRCRD’s NCR-Stat: Caregiving Survey to compare 178 child caregivers across rural and urban Indiana.
Her research found that rural child caregivers face significantly greater challenges than their urban counterparts, including lower household incomes (28.6% earning less than $25,000 compared to 16.9% among urban caregivers) and lower satisfaction with transportation options (22% vs. 40% satisfaction among rural and urban caregivers, respectively). The findings have important implications for policymakers working to address Indiana’s child care shortage, with over half of the state’s population living in child care deserts.
Clara Shoopman investigated small business profitability in the Midwest for her thesis titled “Embeddedness and Profitability: The Case of Small Businesses in the US Midwest.” Working with advisor Dr. Maria Marshall, Director of NCRCRD, Shoopman analyzed data from the NCRCRD’s NCR-Stat: Small Business Survey to examine responses from 1,287 small business owners across the North Central Region.
Her research revealed that incorporated businesses achieved 119% higher profit than sole ownerships and partnerships, minority-owned firms made 150% higher profit than white-owned firms, and owner satisfaction showed significant positive correlation with profitability. The findings provide evidence-based insights for strengthening small business success and rural economic development in the Midwest.
Both studies demonstrate how NCRCRD’s NCR-Stat survey data support student research that informs rural policy and economic development strategies. Theses are available on the AgEcon Honors Program webpage.