A Private Struggle at a Private Institution: Effects of Student Hunger on Social and Academic Experiences

In this exploratory, qualitative study we analyzed the effects of food insecurity on students’ academic and social experiences at a private, selective, normatively affluent institution. Findings reveal that students self-excluded from social events that centered around food. Students’ academics were often sacrificed and interrupted as a result of their food insecurity and need to work. Furthermore, even as students benefitted from campus resources, including faculty interaction, academic support programs, and a plethora of student organizations, the price of hunger was time, which in turn reduced their campus engagement and involvement.