Marywood University students, Katelyn Gjini, Ramsey, N.J., president of the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association (NSSLHA) chapter, and Nicole Koestler, vice president of the NSSLHA chapter at the University, recently organized a food donation drive for Marywood University’s Pacer Panty.

Miscellaneous food, snacks, and personal hygiene/toiletry items were donated to the Pacer Pantry with the support of students and faculty in the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department. The Pacer Pantry opened on the University’s campus in February 2020 on the ground floor of Emmanuel Hall. Various Marywood University departments, deans, faulty/staff members, student groups, and Friends of the Poor (a sponsored ministry of the IHM Congregation) collaborated to make the Pacer Pantry a reality. Sister Elizabeth McGill, IHM, an IHM novice and a Marywood graduate, headed the project.

Food insecurity is a growing concern on college campuses throughout the country. Marywood’s local response to this nationwide issue is the Pacer Pantry, a name chosen by Marywood students, to benefit students and staff who may struggle with food insecurity. Fighting hunger—whether on a global scale or right in one’s own community—requires awareness. Advocacy and action are a part of the solution, but the fact that food insecurity is a real problem that exists on college campuses across the nation is eye opening for many.

The NSSLHA Chapter at Marywood University is a student-run organization that is an active part of the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department and is in affiliation with the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association. The NSSLHA Chapter at Marywood collaborates with the University’s Student Government Association, and has participated in many departmental as well as campus-wide activities and events.

For additional information about Marywood University’s Pacer Pantry, please email PacerPantry@marywood.edu, or visit marywood.edu/article/2020-Pacer-Pantry-Open-House. For additional information about Marywood University’s Communication Sciences and Disorders Department, please visit marywood.edu/csd/, or call the office of Admissions, at (570) 348-6234.