As Pandemic Hits Colleges' Finances, Small Town May Be Affected Too

Copyright 2020 KCUR 89.3. To see more, visit KCUR 89.3 . NOEL KING, HOST: The pandemic has been devastating college finances, and some of them are even on the brink of closing. What does that mean for college towns? Frank Morris of member station KCUR has this look at one rural college community. FRANK MORRIS, BYLINE: Lots of towns across rural America are in steep decline, but tiny Sterling, Kan., is an island of vitality. (SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) UNIDENTIFIED SINGERS: (Singing) If you want less lonely and a lot more fun... MORRIS: On a pleasant Tuesday evening, a local gospel quintet entertains folks spread out on lawn chairs in a large, tidy park. This town is anchored by Sterling College, a private evangelical Christian school founded in 1887. College senior Kyler Comley calls it one big partnership. KYLER COMLEY: There's just so much overlap. The community supports the college; the college supports the community. You know, you just see how everything's intertwined. MORRIS: This remote