Date of Award
5-2025
Culminating Project Type
Dissertation
Styleguide
apa
Degree Name
Higher Education Administration: Ed.D.
Department
Educational Administration and Higher Education
College
School of Education
First Advisor
Jennifer Jones
Second Advisor
Rachel Friedensen
Third Advisor
Emeka Ikegwuonu
Fourth Advisor
Paul Shepherd
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Keywords and Subject Headings
Food Insecurity, Campus Food Pantry, Food Insecurity Self-Stigma
Abstract
The prevalence of food insecurity among college students remains higher than the national average, negatively impacting their academic success and personal well-being. To mitigate these impacts, over 800 campuses nationwide have implemented food pantries. However, many students do not utilize these resources due to social and structural barriers, with stigma being the most commonly reported obstacle. Although stigma has been identified as a barrier to accessing food support through campus pantries, limited studies examine the stigma associated with the experience of food insecurity.
This quantitative study addresses this gap by exploring the prevalence of food insecurity, associated self-stigma, and the psychosocial experience of using a campus food pantry at a public regional comprehensive university in the Midwest. Data was collected using the Six-Item Short Form of the Food Security Survey Module, the Food Insecurity Self-Stigma Scale (FISS), and the Food Support Experiences Scale (FSES).
The study found that 45.3% of students experience food insecurity, with significant disparities among students of color, international students, and Pell Grant recipients. Students reported moderate food insecurity self-stigma, particularly around stereotype endorsement. The study also highlights the underutilization of campus food pantries by students with food insecurity. A correlation analysis indicates a relationship between self-stigma focused on righteous anger and positive perceptions of pantry experiences. However, self-stigma was not a reliable predictor of pantry utilization, suggesting other social or structural barriers may be more influential.
Understanding the impact of stigma on accessing food support and experiencing food insecurity can inform outreach and marketing strategies to improve pantry access for students facing food insecurity.
Recommended Citation
Peine, Rebecca L., "Hungry Minds: Food Insecurity, Self-Stigma, and Campus Food Pantry Utilization" (2025). Culminating Projects in Higher Education Administration. 94.
https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/hied_etds/94
