Stephanie A. Brescia

Stephanie Brescia, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of 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
  • Cuite, C., Dietz, K.., Bates, L. & Brescia, S. (Forthcoming). Food insecurity among undergraduate students is not static over time. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.
  • Brescia, S., & Cuite, C.L. (2022). Underestimating food insecurity: Marginally food secure students may not be food secure. Nutrients, 14(15).
  • 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.
  • The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice. (2021). #RealCollege 2021: Basic Needs Insecurity During the Ongoing Pandemic. Philadelphia, PA.
  • Cuite, C., Brescia, S., Willson, K., Weintraub, D., & Bates, L. (2020). Basic needs insecurity among Rutgers-New Brunswick. Retrieved from http://humeco.rutgers.edu/documents_PDF/ru-basic-needs-study.pdf.
  • Cuite, C., Brescia, S., Errickson, L., Hallman, W. (2020). Maintaining COVID-19 safety practices: Guidelines for food pantries. Rutgers Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet FS1318. Retrieved from https://njaes.rutgers.edu/fs1318/.
  • Cuite, C. L., Brescia, S. A., Porterfield, V., Weintraub, D. S., & Willson, K. A. (2018). Food insecurity among students at Rutgers-New Brunswick. Retrieved from http://humeco.rutgers.edu/documents_pdf/RU_Student_Food_Insecurity_2018.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).
  • 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.
  • 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.
• Clinical Experience
  • Assistant Professor of 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 Research 2 Practice Fellow, 2022
  • NASPA Region II Outstanding Contribution to Literature or Research Award, 2022
  • Rutgers Graduate School of Education Alumni Association Dr. Arleen H. Urban Excellence in Dissertation Award, 2021
  • Rutgers School of Graduate Studies Excellence in Teaching & Leadership Award, 2020
  • Rutgers School of Graduate Studies Excellence in Teaching & Leadership Award Spring 2020
  • Rutgers Graduate School of Education Doctoral Fellowship, 2016-2020
  • Rutgers Human Ecology Poster Session 1st Place Graduate Student Winner, 2019
  • Rutgers University Pre-Doctoral Leadership Academy Fellowship, 2018-2019
  • Rutgers College Student Affairs Endowed Scholarship, 2018-2019
  • Rutgers Graduate School of Education Alumni & Friends Scholarship, 2017-2018
  • St. John’s University Excellence in Service to Students Award, 2015
• Resume

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