Discussing with U of A Provost about Food Insecurity on Campus

Author: Madison Price | Major: Agricultural Business | Semester: Spring 2024

Coming into college, I was unsure if research was for me. I was honestly scared of the word “research.” It was not until I took an honors research class about food insecurity in the state of Arkansas with Dr. Jennie Popp and Dr. Louise Hancox that my opinion of research changed. I was completely capable to do the work with it and most importantly, I was able to dive deeper into topics I was passionate about. My topic, “Understanding the Impact of Food Insecurity Among First Generation College Students on the University of Arkansas Campus” is important to me for a multitude of reasons. Coming from rural Arkansas, I witnessed classmates and friends experience food insecurity. Being a first generation college student, I was determined to advocate for those students like me. First generation students already have many barriers stacked against them, and having trouble accessing a basic need, like food, is unacceptable. Fueled by passion and curiosity, this research project was born.

As an Honors College Path Scholar, I was connected with my mentor, Dr. Jennie Popp very quickly. Being an agricultural business student, she took me under her wing and opened up an abundance of opportunities. I was honored to be able to work with her on this project and gain such an inspirational mentor. Dr. Popp pushed me to succeed and to believe in myself, unlike anyone has done before. The challenges built me to be a better learner and person. I am forever indebted to Dr. Popp for all the guidance she gave me throughout my collegiate career. I would also like to recognize Dr. Nathan Kemper and Dr. Louise Hancox for their support and advice regarding my research project. I have been extremely lucky to have such wonderful faculty in my corner, who are passionate about making a difference through important research topics.

The research project produced mainly what I thought it would about first generation students and their negative effects regarding food insecurity. According to the survey responses, food insecurity has led to nine different negative emotions, physical and academic consequences on impacted students. Further, a significantly greater percentage of first generation students experience these impacts as compared to other students. Students’ suggestions to reduce food insecurity included: 1) providing cheaper food options on campus, 2) extending dining hall and food court hours and 3) better advertising resources on campus that can alleviate food insecurity. Campus leadership, Chartwells, ASG, VAC and others should work together to try to implement these recommendations and examine more ways to reduce food insecurity among University of Arkansas students.

I learned so much about not only my research topic, but also myself during this long process. I have been working on this project for a couple years now, and I discovered a deep love for consistently adapting. This is something I used to struggle with, but with research projects, adaptability is key to be successful. It is not always easy, there are countless hours and hard work put into it and at times I felt like a failure, but with adaptability, those failures quickly turned into learning and succeeding.

I was offered with the opportunity to present at multiple conferences, one being the Southern Agricultural Economics Association conference in Atlanta, Georgia. I presented at the Honors College Research Symposium and received first place in my category, as well as the Bumpers College Research Symposium and received second place. I also presented at the Universities Fighting World Hunger Conference, which was very rewarding as I learned so much from others who were in attendance.

Regarding my future plans, I hope to pass this research onto someone else to continue to find innovative ways to alleviate food insecurity on the University of Arkansas campus. I am graduating magna cum laude with honors distinction with a degree in Agricultural Business in May 2024. I plan to pursue a Master of Science in Agricultural Economics at the University of Arkansas in the fall of 2024. I believe these research opportunities have greatly prepared me for graduate school and my future endeavors.