RESEARCH | COMMN

BACKGROUND
Many college students experience food insecurity, yet fewer than half of eligible students use available resources. Stigma, low awareness, and limited food literacy contribute to this gap. This thesis will use design to shift food support from charity to empowerment, reducing stigma and strengthening student agency.

KEY FINDINGS

Key findings highlight the most important insights uncovered through research.

Food insecurity is widespread but hidden on campuses, affecting an estimated 19–56% of students—often four times the national average. (Loofbourrow & Scherr, 2023)
Few students access available aid—only 25% use public benefits like SNAP, and 36% use campus food support. (Hope Center, 2025)
Multiple barriers limit access—from stigma and low awareness to unclear processes, confusing policies, and weak program marketing. (Landry et al., 2024)
Limited cooking skills create additional obstacles, highlighting the need for more skill-building support. (Boone, 2021)

WHAT STOOD OUT

Students don’t avoid resources because they don’t need them, they avoid them due to stigma.

Learn About the Strategy

Stigma keeps many eligible students from seeking help. (U.S. GAO, 2024)
Food insecurity is considered just another part of student life. Validating student experiences helps reduce stigma. (Kim et al., 2025)
Structural stigma makes food access difficult and undignified. (Halverson, 2025)
More visible resources are more widely used. (Fernandez, 2020)
Convenience, social support, and peer/faculty awareness help remove access barriers. (Idehai et al., 2024)

SOURCES

Boone, H. E., et al. “Comparisons of Cooking, Dietary, and Food Safety Characteristics of Food Secure and Food Insecure Sophomores at a University in Appalachia.” Journal of Appalachian Health, 2021, Link. Accessed 18 Sept. 2025.

Brown, N. I., et al. “Multi-Level Determinants of Food Insecurity among Racially and Ethnically Diverse College Students.” Nutrients, vol. 15, no. 18, 2023, p. 4065. Link.

Fernandez, H. “Tackling the Challenge (and the Stigma) of Student Food Insecurity.” Academic Impressions, 2024, Link. Accessed 27 Sept. 2025.

Fraga, Monica. “The Levels of Food Insecurity Among First Generation and Non-First Generation Latinx College Students at California State University Stanislaus During the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Pandemic.” Journal of Mental Health & Social Behavior, vol. 2, no. 1, 2020, p. 122. Link.

Gilbert, Kathleen. “Intersecting Identities of College Student Food Insecurity.” YouTube, 2022, Link. Accessed 18 Sept. 2025.

Halverson, M. “Addressing Structural Stigma in Emergency Food Assistance Settings.” Center for Research in Education & Social Policy, 2025, Link. Accessed 28 Sept. 2025.

Henry, L., D. Henry, and E. P. Zepeda. “More Than Hunger’: Experiences of Food Insecurity Among South Asian International Graduate Students at a U.S. University.” Nutrients, 2025, Link. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

The Hope Center for Student Basic Needs. 2023–2024 Student Basic Needs Survey Report, 26 Feb. 2025, Link.

Idehai, O. V., et al. “A Systematic Review of Factors Associated with Student Use of Campus Food Pantries: Implications for Addressing Barriers and Facilitating Use.” BMC Public Health, 2024, Link. Accessed 27 Sept. 2025.

Kim, Youngmi, et al. “Exploring College Student Experiences with Little Pantries: A Qualitative Study Addressing Campus Food Insecurity.” Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 2025, Link.

Landry, M. J., R. L. Hagedorn-Hatfield, and V. A. Zigmont. “Barriers to College Student Food Access: A Scoping Review Examining Policies, Systems, and the Environment.” Journal of Nutritional Science, 2024, Link. Accessed 18 Sept. 2025.

Loofbourrow, B. M., and R. E. Scherr. “Food Insecurity in Higher Education: A Contemporary Review of Impacts and Explorations of Solutions.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2023, Link. Accessed 18 Sept. 2025.

Monteza-Quiroz, D., A. Silva, and M. I. Sactic. “Cooking Skills and Food Insecurity.” PLOS One, 2025, Link. Accessed 18 Sept. 2025.

National Center for Education Statistics. College Enrollment Rates. U.S. Department of Education, 2024, Link. Accessed 18 Sept. 2025.

Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon. SNAP College Toolkit, 2024, Link. Accessed 18 Sept. 2025.

Rabbitt, M. P., L. J. Hales, and M. Reed-Jones. “Food Security in the U.S.—Key Statistics & Graphics.” Economic Research Service, USDA, 2025, Link. Accessed 18 Sept. 2025.

Reddit. r/Frugal. “Finally Going to a Food Bank: Can Someone Tell Me How They Work?” 2025, Link. Accessed 18 Sept. 2025.

Reddit. r/povertyfinance. 2025, Link. Accessed 18 Sept. 2025.

United States Government Accountability Office. “Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Estimated Eligibility and Receipt Among Food Insecure College Students.” U.S. GAO, 2024, Link. Accessed 18 Sept. 2025.