Indiana University of Pennsylvania has been selected by the Office of the Governor as a Pennsylvania Hunger-Free Campus Plus (+).
IUP has held the Pennsylvania Hunger-Free designation since 2022, but achieved the Pennsylvania Hunger-Free Campus+ designation as a result of initiatives beyond the required criteria for Hunger-Free Campus designation.
The Hunger-Free Campus designation requirements include a method to directly connect students to food options; strategies in place to increase awareness and help students to apply for the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP); a task force that meets on a regular basis that includes students, faculty, staff and institutional leadership to address basic needs initiatives, including hunger, and raises awareness among students using an equity, inclusion, and belonging lens; and the institution collects and reports data on student food insecurity.
IUP was recognized with the Plus designation because of these additional initiatives: offering a variety of meal plans, including an option that does not compromise SNAP eligibility; offering meal-sharing programs; actively educating student leaders on campus to create student-centered programs; and facilitating community partnerships related to food insecurity.
The Hunger-Free Campus designation qualifies universities to apply for PA Hunger-Free Campus grants through the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
In response to student needs, IUP opened the IUP Food Pantry in 2019; it was expanded in 2021 to become the Food Pantry and Help Center, offering toiletries and school supplies in addition to food items for students. It is located on the ground floor of Wallwork Hall. IUP also offers a food pantry at IUP Punxsutawney. The Food Pantry and Help Center continues to engage a broad network of student organizations, faculty, staff, alumni, and community partners to ensure students have reliable access to essential food and hygiene resources.
More than 11,520 students have received support from the Food Pantry and Help Center over the past six years. The program is coordinated by the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs and Roger Briscoe II, executive director of the Office of Student Inclusion.
“Focusing on student success includes ensuring that our students’ basic needs are met, removing barriers that they face—including food insecurity—and making sure that our students know about, and can easily access, the resources in place to support them,” IUP Vice President for Student Affairs Tom Segar said.
“The IUP family—employees, students, alumni, and friends—continues to be incredibly caring and generous in their support of outreach initiatives like the Food Pantry and Help Center, and informational and community outreach to raise awareness about food insecurity, and we are very grateful.
“We have an outstanding team, including Mrs. Tina Wiggins in the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, Coordinator of Student Wellness Jennifer McCrosky, and Dr. Briscoe, and many dedicated student workers who are responsible for this ongoing recognition and our ‘Plus’ status because of their willingness to go that extra mile to raise awareness about the important issue to help students thrive,” he said.
Over the past six years, more than $276,000 has been donated to support the Food Pantry and Help Center, including an anonymous donation of $55,000 announced in April as part of the Impact 150 comprehensive fundraising campaign.
“The Hunger-Free Campus+ designation represents our continued commitment to removing barriers to student success,” Briscoe said. “No student should have to choose between meeting their basic needs and pursuing their education. I am incredibly proud of the IUP community for continuing to come together to ensure our students have access to the resources and support they need to thrive.”
According to a recent US Government Accountability Office study, about 23 percent of undergraduates face food insecurity, and college students experience food insecurity at rates significantly higher than the average US household. Food insecurity is linked to lower grade point averages, higher rates of anxiety and depression, and an increased risk of stopping out or dropping out.
Since its founding in 1875, IUP has evolved from a teacher-training institution into a doctoral research university recognized for its commitment to student success and achievement. IUP’s Impact 150 comprehensive campaign is designed to honor a legacy of educational excellence while looking toward a future of innovation, public service, and leadership in healthcare education, including the first college of osteopathic medicine at a public university in the commonwealth.