If you’re anything like me, then you have been streaming *a lot* of TV during this pandemic.
I just finished “The Witcher” on Netflix, and whew … it rocked my world. Left me in angry tears.
A more serious documentary called “Hungry to Learn” also left me in a puddle when I first watched it in April.
This is an excellent project by executive producer Soledad O’Brien. The film takes the depressing stats — 45% of college students struggle with hunger — and brings the crisis to life through the stories of four students.
The documentary prominently features Sara Goldrick-Rab, the Temple University professor who founded the Hope Center for College, Community and Justice.
You may remember Sara Goldrick-Rab’s name from our “Superheroes, Assemble!” resource roundup during January 2020 in-service, where I talked about her 2016 book, “Paying the Price: College Costs, Financial Aid, and the Betrayal of the American Dream.”
I also suggested adding her basic needs security statement to class syllabi.
When Virginia Western realized 17% of CCAP’s incoming class admitted to food insecurity in a student poll, our superhero colleagues in the Educational Foundation and Student Services scrambled to establish our student food co-op.
And that was *before* the pandemic.
The VCCS and Virginia Western will continue to address this issue. In fact, our students are now being asked to participate in a #RealCollege survey conducted by the Hope Center.
I’m also thrilled to share “Hungry to Learn” is now streaming FREE OF CHARGE.
It’s about two hours long.
And a couple of tips: Switch to the high-quality HD version by clicking on the “VQ” in the bottom right corner of the video player.
See if you recognize some of our VCCS colleagues just before the 54-minute mark.
Watch the full “Hungry to Learn” documentary here:
— Stephanie Ogilvie Seagle, September 2020
Shelley Lyons is glad to be back on campus as she is a Virginia Western alum, and has served as the Administrative Officer for Grants Administration at Virginia Western since early 2022. Prior to VWCC, her career focus was within the Human Services and Arts fields. She wrote her first grant in 1996 on a whim and has continued to plan and learn since that time. She most enjoys seeing a well-planned project come to fruition, where funder, project manager and beneficiaries can all feel success and see impact.