SHIFTS IN POVERTY AND EDUCATION DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC: DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE

Katelyn R. Stalboerger
Mark B. Schmidt
Perian N. Stavrum
Auburn University
St. Cloud State University

ABSTRACT

Many things changed quickly in the United States due to the COVID-19 pandemic,
including an increased number of individuals driven into extreme poverty. These poverty level
changes have affected the resources that are valuable to students enrolled in higher education.
Furthermore, marketing in higher education has begun to change, affecting how these marketing
professionals reach current and potential students. Moreover, this profession tends to be slower in
adapting to environmental and technological changes. Therefore, using documented evidence,
data and previous research, this study looks at poverty changes overall, which students are now
below the poverty line, how higher education funding has changed, and an explanation of current
state higher education marketing practices in order to have a better understanding of the linkages
between these factors driven by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic, previous research and data, poverty changes, students’ poverty, changes in higher
education funding and marketing practices