Lucy Rodriguez

How did you become interested in this feld of study?
I’ve always been a big foodie and cooking is one of my favorite hobbies. I’ve always found it interesting how food can be used to heal and nourish the body. I’m also really into social activism, which made going into this feld of study an easy choice. Being able to advocate for students to have access to food and meet their basic needs combines both of my interests perfectly.

What is the title of the ARI project you are working on?
“Leveraging CalFresh to Improve Food Security Among College Students at Risk for Hunger: A Mixed-Methods Natural Experiment”

Why are you interested in this project?
In order to heal the body with food, you must have access to food in the frst place. That’s why I was so interested in working on this project because eating nutritious foods is a basic right that should be entitled to everyone.

Describe your role as you’ve conducted research in this ARI project.
My role in this project involves working with the CalFresh Outreach team on campus in assisting students with their CalFresh application. Students who applied for CalFresh benefts with the Cal Poly CalFresh Outreach team were invited to participate in this study. I was involved in collecting quantitative surveys and conducting semi-structured interviews of participants.

What do you hope to learn, or have you learned, through your involvement with this ARI project?
What I learned is that food insecurity has no face and looks different for everyone. There is no typical food-insecure student. I’m hoping that the research I collected can be used to advocate and infuence nutrition policy.

Briefy describe your project and why it is important to California agriculture or natural resources.
Food insecurity among college students is disproportionately higher compared with community-based samples. CalFresh, better known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), has been proven to successfully reduce food insecurity but its impact on college students remains unclear. The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of CalFresh on food security status of college students and, through interviews, learn about their experience in accessing CalFresh and other programs providing food resources.

What do you want to do after graduation, and how will working on this ARI project help you to achieve that goal?
I would love to continue my work in food justice and, hopefully, pursue a Ph.D. later down the road. The ARI project has really helped foster and grow my skills in conducting research that I know I can apply in other work opportunities.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us regarding your background and interests?
I’m the frst in my family to pursue a master’s degree.

What did you fnd most rewarding about the ARI program?
Before the ARI project, I had no research experience and didn’t think it would ever be possible for me. As a frst generation, low-income Hispanic student, I didn’t see people like me doing research. I feel so honored to have been given this opportunity and to have a platform to uplift more Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) students to go into research.