The Relationship Between a Campus Food Pantry and Academic Success at a Public University

Abstract

Food insecurity (FI) is associated with lower academic performance in university students. This research aimed to describe the relationship between a campus food pantry and academic performance, describe the characteristics of student pantry shoppers (PSs), and develop a model to predict academic success. Researchers obtained student pantry swipes and university data (2021–2022 academic year) to generate a dataset for grade point average (GPA) (N = 23,896) and a subset of PS sociodemographic data (N = 852). Variables (cumulative or term GPA) differed based on models. Explanatory variables were biological sex, age, frequency of pantry shopping, classification, Pell Grant eligibility, college, athlete status, citizenship, residency, ethnicity/race, honors, and first-generation status. The analysis included the two-sample t-test, logistic and multiple regression, and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO). There was no difference (t(921.8) = 0.518, p = 0.60) in the cumulative GPA between PSs (M = 3.001 [0.808]) and non-pantry shoppers (NPSs) (M = 3.016 [0.874]). In the fall term, PSs (M = 3.018 [1.012] earned a higher GPA (t(581.69) = −2.235, p = 0.03) than NPSs (M = 2.919 [1.123]). Pantry shoppers achieved academic success despite exhibiting risk factors for FI, including first-generation status, being of the female sex, and financial need. Targeted multicomponent campus programs are needed to provide food assistance to students at risk for FI.