CSHE senior researcher Igor Chirikov was recently interviewed by KCRA 3 News to discuss the findings of his study linking food security to higher education success.
The segment highlights a new working paper co-authored by Igor Chirikov and Jesse Rothstein. The study, The Impact of Nutrition Assistance on College Student Success, offers some of the most precise data to date on how California's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)—known as CalFresh—directly impacts academic outcomes.
By evaluating similar student profiles, the researchers discovered that community college students who consistently receive CalFresh benefits during their first year are significantly more likely to stay on track academically, complete full-time course loads (30 or more credits), and persist into their second year of college.
“This research shows that when students can reliably meet their basic needs, they are more likely to stay on track and succeed in college,” Chirikov shared during the rollout of the study, emphasizing that maintaining uninterrupted access to CalFresh is a highly cost-effective way to scale and improve college retention rates.
The KCRA 3 feature underscores a critical challenge: while the benefits of the program are clear, many eligible students remain unaware of their eligibility or struggle to maintain consistent access.
Watch the full KCRA 3 news segment and learn more about how food security drives student persistence here.