Stephanie A. Brescia, Ph.D.

Stephanie Brescia, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Professional Practice and Program Coordinator for the College Student Affairs Ed.M. Program at the Rutgers Graduate School of Education. She is passionate about the learning and development of her students and actively strives to ensure that they are centering social justice and equity in their work. Stephanie’s research focuses on using data and assessment to not only understand basic needs insecurity among college students, but to develop and evaluate innovative approaches aimed at alleviating student food and housing insecurity. Her work has been used to influence policy, practice, and the creation of equitable and lasting solutions to address student hunger. Prior to joining the GSE, Stephanie worked as a Research Project Manager for the Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice where she studied student basic needs insecurity at the national level. Stephanie also previously held a variety of roles as a student affairs professional, shaping her work and identity as a scholar practitioner. Stephanie’s ultimate goal is to use teaching, research, data, and assessment to dismantle structural inequities within higher education.

• Expertise & Research Interest
  • College Student Basic Needs Insecurity
  • Higher Education Access and Affordability
• Recent and Select Publications

  • Brescia, S.A., Thaw, T., Teipen, J., Elnakib, S., Yorimoto, D., Morales, K., & Cuite, C.L. (2025). Innovation in SNAP outreach: Engaging a community college in visual storytelling. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, https://doi.org/10.1080/10668926.2025.2540798

  • Brescia, S.A. (2025). ‘Can I really accept this?’ Understanding the help-seeking behaviors of college students who experience food insecurity. Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition, 20(6), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/19320248.2025.2499080

  • Brescia, S.A., & Cuite, C.L. (2024). Social stigma, logistics, and reserving resources for others: Understanding barriers to campus pantry use. Journal of College and Character. https://doi.org/10.1080/2194587X.2024.2388246

  • Cuite, C., Dietz, K..*, Bates, L. & Brescia, S. (2023). Changes in food security status during undergraduate enrollment. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 55(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2022.08.004

  • Cuite, C.L., Brescia, S., Sackey, J., El-Buri, H., Dietz, K.*, Leikrham, C.*, Zaragoza, D.*, Warren, D., Weintraub, D., Willson, K., Bowler Darrow, G., (2023). Basic Needs Insecurities Among Rutgers Students: A Universitywide Survey. https://doi.org/10.7282/00000362

  • Brescia, S., & Cuite, C.L. (2022). Underestimating food insecurity: Marginally food secure students may not be food secure. Nutrients, 14(15). https://doi.org/10.3390%2Fnu14153142

  • Goldrick-Rab, S., Baker-Smith, C., Clark, K., Dahl, S., Brescia, S., & Williams, T. (2021). A first look at impacts of the college housing assistance program at Tacoma Community College. The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12613/6952

  • The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice. (2021). #RealCollege 2021: Basic Needs Insecurity During the Ongoing Pandemic. Philadelphia, PA. https://hope.temple.edu/sites/hope/files/media/document/HopeSurveyReport2021.pdf

  • Cuite, C.L., Brescia, S.A., Errickson, L.B., & Sawatzky, A.J. (2020). Farm-based programming for college students experiencing food insecurity. Journal of Extension, 58(6). https://doi.org/10.34068/joe.58.06.18

  • Gigliotti, R. A., Dwyer, M., Brescia, S. A., Gergus, M., & Stefanelli, J. (2020). Learning leadership in higher education: Communicative implications for graduate education. Atlantic Journal of Communication, 28(4), 209-223. https://doi.org/10.1080/15456870.2020.1720990

  • Brescia, S. A., & Cuite, C. L. (2019). Understanding coping mechanisms: An investigation into the strategies that students use to avoid, manage, or alleviate food insecurity. Journal of College and Character, 20(4), 310-326. https://doi.org/10.1080/2194587X.2019.1669463

   

• Clinical Experience
  • Assistant Professor of Professional Practice, Rutgers University (2021-Present)
  • Research Project Manager, The Hope Center for College Community and Justice, Temple University (2020)
  • Policy Fellow, Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, State of New Jersey (2019)
  • Project Manager, School of Graduate Studies, Rutgers University (2017-2020)
  • Residence Director, St. John’s University (2014-2016)
• Honors & Awards

  •Rutgers University Faculty Diversity Collaborative OASIS Leadership & Professional Development Program, Fall 2025-Spring 2026

  • Rutgers University Graduate School of Education Award for Faculty Excellence in Service, Spring 2024

  • Rutgers University Division of Equity and Inclusion Torchbearer Award for Excellence in Promoting Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access through Research, Fall 2023

  • Rutgers University Graduate Student Association, Outstanding Faculty Support to the Rutgers Graduate Student Community, Fall 2023

  • Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education, External Expert for the Creation of the Basic Needs Security Standards for Higher Education, Spring 2023-Fall 2024

  • NASPA Emerging Faculty Leaders Academy, Cohort VIII, Spring 2023-Fall 2024

  • Rutgers University Research 2 Practice Fellowship, Fall 2022-Spring 2023

  • NASPA Region II Outstanding Contribution to Literature or Research Award, Summer 2022

  • Rutgers Graduate School of Education Alumni Association Dr. Arleen H. Urban Excellence in Dissertation Award, Spring 2021

  • Rutgers School of Graduate Studies Excellence in Teaching & Leadership Award, Spring 2020

  • Rutgers Graduate School of Education Doctoral Fellowship Fall 2016-Spring 2020

• Link to Project Page

   

  Hudson County Community College — Food Fuels Minds

• Files

  Click here to view Dr. Stephanie Brescia’s CV.