Food Security Obstacles for Student Athletes at Private Universities

This blog is written by:

Grace Higgins: Originally from New Jersey, Grace is an undergraduate student studying Sport Performance Leadership and graduating in May of 2025 at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. She is using her platform as a Student Senator to aid SMU’s on-campus food pantry and advocate for the student-athlete perspective.

Regardless of what type of higher education institution you attend, you should always have access to food. There’s a large misconception that students at private universities or schools with high tuition do not experience food insecurity. 

For over a year, I have been working to change the stereotype regarding food insecurity at my private university and make people aware of its existence. 

Student athletes are a clear example of how today’s students are balancing multiple responsibilities and navigating complicated financial situations regardless of their school’s tuition rates. At private universities where sports are highly regarded, student athletes are given a lot of attention, and some are benefitting from brand deals — you may think that they are the farthest from experiencing food insecurity. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Some student-athletes who come from a low socioeconomic class rely on scholarships to attend their private institution. In most cases, their scholarship only covers tuition, books, and/or technology, but not a meal plan, leaving them with little to buy their own food. Further, some student athletes receive a stipend on top of their scholarship that they may use at their discretion. This eliminates food insecurity for some, but others find more value in sending that money home to support their families, thus leaving them with few resources to support themselves.

The sad reality at some private universities is that many administrators don’t recognize the institution’s food insecurity or believe it exists. If funding from the school is what is required to create a food pantry or address the issue, then they need to be informed. One way to do this is through the professors, but from my experience, the voice of the student body is what administrators take more seriously. I was recently connected with a small group of students, professors, and student-life administrators who are working to eliminate food insecurity at my private university through inquiring about our on campus food pantry. Before I met with this group, I was under the impression that I was the only person working on this. I was happily mistaken and now, I have a group of people to bounce ideas off of, share progress with, and work with to curb food insecurity on my campus.

The road to eliminating food insecurity at private universities is long, but with the right people, it can happen. Breaking the stigma around food pantries, food stamps, food drives, and other resources is so important to helping students get the food they need. The right people in your corner can help cut through the bureaucracy and obstacles, and work to make real change in the community. 



Grace is a member of Swipe Out Hunger’s Student Leadership and Advisory Council (SLAAC), a cohort of food security student leaders who share ideas and engage in community building opportunities. Explore opportunities to connect with other student leaders in our national network here.