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On a new episode of the HigherEdJobs Podcast, co-hosts Andy Hibel and Kelly Cherwin welcomed Paige Swanstein, co-founder of the Student Basic Needs Coalition (SBNC), to talk about the urgent challenge of food and housing insecurity on college campuses — and what institutions can do to better support their students.
The conversation builds on themes highlighted in a previously published HigherEdJobs article, “Basic Needs Insecurity Among Your Students May Be Higher Than You Think.” That piece noted that 29% of community college students are food insecure and 14% are housing insecure — a reminder that these challenges are not isolated, but rather a persistent challenge affecting students in higher ed.
Swanstein’s story began with her own lived experience. As a financially independent student, she worked multiple jobs while pursuing her degree and still found herself struggling to cover essentials. That experience, paired with her role as a research assistant interviewing students about their basic needs, revealed the scope of the problem and inspired her to act.
From there, she helped launch a student-led coalition at North Carolina State University that created training for faculty and staff, hosted town halls, and pushed for policy changes like expanded meal-sharing programs. In 2020, she joined forces with peers at the University of Tennessee to take the model national. Today, SBNC works with more than 500 schools across all 50 states, screening thousands of students for benefits and connecting them to millions of dollars in essential benefits and resources.
The central theme of the episode was stigma. Swanstein emphasized that many students hesitate to use available resources because they don’t want to be seen as needy or worry that “someone else needs it more than me.” She urged campuses to normalize support by reframing it. “We need to reframe the conversation: these are student resources, just like the gym, the health center, or tutoring. They exist to help every student succeed,” she said. She added, “Creating a culture of care across the entire campus is crucial.” Creative efforts like Wayne State’s campus “thrift store,” which co-locates clothing and food resources in a fun, welcoming space, help destigmatize access.
The coalition’s work also extends into advocacy. Swanstein described how students in Tennessee successfully passed legislation requiring the state to collect data on food insecurity across public colleges. “Everyone needs a shared baseline of understanding, or else policies won’t move forward,” she explained. SBNC has since supported similar efforts in states like South Carolina, helping student leaders present findings directly to legislators.
For higher ed professionals, the conversation highlighted the role faculty, staff , and campus leaders can play in building a culture of care. Paige encouraged campuses to integrate basic needs awareness into orientations and course materials, noting that faculty can easily share referral tools like SNAP and Medicaid screeners in their syllabi. She also pointed out that referrals should not end with “check this out” but should include follow-up and systems to ensure students truly connect with resources.
Hibel drew a parallel to the early days of campus mental health awareness, noting that food insecurity carries a similar stigma. “Everybody comes from somewhere, and we need to meet them where they are,” he said, about the importance of normalizing these conversations.
For students, staff, and leaders alike, the takeaway was clear: addressing basic needs insecurity is not just about emergency assistance — it is about equity, retention, and student success. By treating food, housing, and health resources as integral to the student experience, campuses can remove stigma and ensure every student has a fair chance to thrive.
To hear more about how SBNC is driving change and how your campus can take part in building a culture of care, listen to the full episode below.
As a reminder, the full transcript of every HigherEdJobs Podcast can be found by clicking on ‘transcript’ next to the episode’s show notes
