Description
Book SynopsisThe Impact of Food Insecurity on First-Generation Female Higher Education Students seeks to emphasize the importance of mattering, belonging and effective student resources in the lives of first-generation women college students. They face unique obstacles that if not adequately addressed could impact their retention and persistence. Success in higher education relies on access to resources, connection, and a sense of meaning and purpose. Based on a yearlong qualitative study the book highlights the ways in which access to student resources, mattering and marginalization frame larger issues including mental health and food and housing insecurities. Interviewing both students and staff provides a window into Riverside's campus climate and solidifies the importance of positive interactions. First-generation women striving to matter explain a need for faculty that understand their strengths, staff that encourage them to ask for assistance, and peers that invite them to join the conversation.
Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION: Why This Topic?
CHAPTER ONE: The Importance of Higher Education
CHAPTER TWO: Study Methods and Student Profiles
CHAPTER THREE: The Specter of Food and Housing Insecurities
CHAPTER FOUR: Staff Perspectives and Perceptions
CHAPTER FIVE: First-Generation Students Navigating Riverside
CHAPTER SIX:Gender as a Factor for First-Generation Women
CHAPTER SEVEN: Who Can I Talk to About My Mental Health?
CHAPTER EIGHT: So, What Now? Suggesting Solutions and Highlighting the Role of Meaning at Riverside
CONCLUSION: Setting First-Generation Women Up for Success
