Through the Ithaka S+R project, Montgomery County Community College will work alongside 14 colleges and universities across the country to learn from students, understand the barriers to seeking help, and improve access to campus resources, like food pantries and mental health care. Photo by NGS Productions
Montgomery County Community College was selected as one of 15 colleges and universities nationwide to participate in a national study aimed at strengthening support for students experiencing essential needs insecurity.
The Understanding Postsecondary Students' Perspectives on Basic Needs Insecurity initiative is a three-year research project that will examine how students experience challenges related to essential needs and identify ways to improve access to campus and community resources.
Led by Ithaka S+R and supported by ECMC Foundation, the initiative brings together 15 colleges and universities from across the United States. The national project aims to center student perspectives and help institutions make more informed decisions about outreach, communication and service delivery.
Research activities led by MCCC Wellness Services and Institutional Research, Effectiveness & Planning will include student interviews and focus groups, followed by a student-informed survey. National experts and student advisors will contribute to the research design, interpretation of findings and dissemination of results.
“The College has an on-going, thorough plan to assess student needs and has conducted national surveys to gather data in the past,” said Bridget Haines-Frank, Ed.D., Executive Director of Institutional Research, Effectiveness & Planning. “The Ithaka S+R project takes an innovative approach that empowers and centers the student voice. It will build upon and expand what we know about student needs at MCCC.”
Participating institutions will receive campus-specific insights, cohort-wide findings, practical communication guidance and support for translating results into action.
“This study is an important step in deepening our understanding of the factors that may affect students’ well-being and their ability to achieve their goals,” said Nichole Kang, Ph.D., Director of Wellness Services. “By obtaining students’ feedback and learning more about their essential needs, we can better align resources, increase awareness of available support, and improve access to services, such as our food pantries, resource coaches, virtual medical and mental health care and more.”
MCCC’s Wellness Centers at the Blue Bell and Pottstown campuses offer a range of services, including food pantries, quiet spaces and sensory rooms, counseling spaces, and access to Wellness Services staff. MCCC’s Wellness Services also provide free 24/7 virtual medical and mental health care through Timely Care. In addition, the College partners with the Visiting Nurses Association – Community Services Personal Navigator Program to help eligible students apply for public benefits.
For the third year, MCCC has received the PA CARES (Connect, Assess, Respond, Encourage and Support) Certified Suicide Prevention Institution of Higher Education designation from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) for its ongoing suicide awareness and prevention initiatives.
The College also has been designated by PDE as a Hunger Free Campus for its work in supporting students who have food insecurity. In 2025-2026, MCCC served 531 students through its on-campus food pantries; students made 3,427 visits to the pantries in that academic year.