Entrepreneurial Learning in Rural Contexts: A Qualitative Analysis of Student Reflections from the RISE29 Internship Program

Rural communities face persistent economic challenges, and universities increasingly serve as catalysts for regional entrepreneurial development. This study evaluates the RISE29 program, a consulting-based internship initiative placing interdisciplinary undergraduate teams as paid interns with small businesses in economically distressed counties of Eastern North Carolina, examining what students across disciplines learned. Drawing on Cope’s entrepreneurial learning framework as a sensitizing theoretical lens, the study asks: (1) What themes characterize the entrepreneurial learning experiences described by RISE29 interns across cohorts and disciplines? (2) How do reflective depth, student agency, and program satisfaction vary across cohort periods, disciplinary affiliations, and program structures? A multi-layered qualitative analysis of 158 written reflection papers submitted across ten cohorts (Spring 2019–Summer 2022) was integrated with deductive qualitative analysis guided by Cope’s entrepreneurial learning framework, constructivist grounded theory coding, reflexive thematic analysis, reflective depth coding, sentiment and tone analysis, and cross-group comparison. Seven themes emerged: communication as the central axis of learning; collaborative identity development; leadership identity formation; encounter with Eastern North Carolina’s rural communities; professional identity and career clarity; real-world learning and classroom transfer; and program satisfaction with constructive critique. All four dimensions of Cope’s framework were present across disciplines, and non-Business students, in several cases, demonstrated a high degree of analytical depth warranting further investigation. Reflective depth increased in cohorts using an expanded prompt, though overlapping structural changes across the study period preclude single-factor attribution. Place-based, consulting-driven experiential programs generate substantive entrepreneurial learning across disciplinary lines, though findings reflect students’ perceived learning rather than verified competency acquisition. These results support investment in client vetting, structured reflection, cross-disciplinary teaming, and in-person community engagement.