HIP #4: WRHC & What to Eat? Food (in)Security at SLCC

Description

SLCC Honors Program goes above and beyond in its commitment to student success by offering all-expenses paid conference trips for as many students as will submit a proposal. This year is was eighteen people! In putting together this presentation, I was tasked to commit to my abstract, review how my research aligned with or did not align with that abstract, and present on the similarities and differences.

The conference is an opportunity for students from all disciplines to engage with one-another constructively to enhance their shared learning experiences. Hosted at California State University in Long Beach, this regional conference exposed us to our regional peers, encouraged discussion, and gave us plenty of opportunity for inter-cultural encounters. The opportunity to get to know one-another outside the context of the College was also extremely helpful in establishing rapport in our cohort. My biggest wish: that all 105 SLCC Honors students could have attended and participated.

Abstract:

What to eat? This question is not just about satisfaction, but critical when you are a student who cannot afford food. Since the onset of COVID-19, the food landscape at Salt Lake Community College has shifted, and there is a need for an updated picture looking not only at what is and isn't available, but also how food options available are and can be desirable, affordable, culturally appropriate, and healthy for a commuter community college. Focusing on Salt Lake Community College, this study seeks to paint a picture of the food landscape, including the past, where a variety of food options were available at each campus, and the future, where a post-lockdown food landscape has shifted and we need a more accurate picture of what is and isn't available to students. By looking at previous research conducted by community groups like Utahns Against Hunger, the International Rescue Committee and the State, as well as conducting student surveys and interviewing stakeholders, I will show that due to the stigma of being hungry, some "starving students" are too intimidated to access food assistance programs and identify inclusive resources to find equitable access. We will challenge the norms of what it means to eat well in college, and help build a culture where it is acceptable to want to move beyond being a starving student.