This project was a part of my global health capstone project, which I completed through an immersion experience this spring at TOPSS food pantry in Oxford, Ohio. During this time, I observed that no college students had used the pantry while I was there. I learned in previous coursework that food insecurity in college students is not regularly discussed, but remains a severe problem. I aimed to investigate the status of food insecurity at Miami University, and how Miami University addresses this issue compared to other universities. This was conducted through a literature review and interviews with various faculty members. I found that in 2019, 20% of Miami students experienced food insecurity and the main barrier to food pantry access at Miami University is a central location on campus that is known and accessible to students. I concluded that with the recent construction of the new Health Science building, priority space should be granted to the current programs to combine and provide a central non-stigmatizing location for a food pantry in order to combat food insecurity. This research has been relevant for my career by analyzing a global health problem and working across disciplines to find a solution.
Author(s): Ashley Hitchler, Biology and Public Health Major
Advisor(s): Beth Miller, Department of Kinesiology, Nutrition and Health
Paul Flaspohler, Department of Psychology
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