UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State Student Affairs has created a new staff position, assistant director, and student pantry manager, to lead and manage the operations of the student food pantry, Lion’s Pantry, in close collaboration with students.
Heide Gibson, who began the role in May, will advise the Lion’s Pantry recognized student organization and will hire and manage the student staff who operate the pantry. She will work to support the students’ vision and efforts in finding innovative solutions to combat food insecurity.
“Heide Gibson’s enthusiasm is infectious, and her commitment to our students and their well-being is genuine,” said Damon Sims, vice president for Student Affairs. “I could not be more pleased to have a full-time position dedicated to partnering with our student leaders in delivering this critically important service to our student community. In conjunction with others, both within Student Affairs and beyond, Heide will provide key leadership to our many evolving efforts addressing student poverty at Penn State.”
Gibson’s role will include collaborating with partners within the University, including the Dr. Keiko Miwa Ross Student Farm, Student Care and Advocacy, Penn State Housing and Food Services, and student governments as well as across the State College community to address food security and educate and engage students, faculty, staff, and alumni around these issues. She will be part of the University-wide coordinating council to be appointed by Sims to address basic-needs insecurities, including food, health, housing and transportation. In addition, Gibson will be integral in planning and implementing ongoing improvements at the Lion’s Pantry to align with the students’ vision, including adding the ability to provide refrigerated and frozen goods.
Prior to taking this role, Gibson worked in development for Penn State as a gift planning officer in the Office of Gift Planning and then director of major gifts for the Smeal College of Business. Before coming to Penn State, she worked in development at Northern Arizona University. Gibson received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix and an MBA from the University of Nevada Las Vegas.
Gibson has long been a donor to the Lion’s Pantry and has been passionate about supporting food insecurity issues throughout her career.
“Since joining Penn State in 2015, I’ve witnessed and admired the Lion’s Pantry students’ incredible commitment to issues of food insecurity and student poverty,” said Gibson. “This role will allow me to work together with the students and other Penn State partners to carry out these efforts. I’m excited to support the creative work that’s happening to fight student hunger and remove the stigma associated with food insecurity.”
Food insecurity is a nationwide challenge and one that is prevalent on college campuses. Penn State has focused on addressing issues of food insecurity through a variety of initiatives, including housing scholarships, improvements to the Lion’s Pantry at University Park and pantries at Commonwealth Campuses, and a partnership with Swipe Out Hunger, which gives students at every campus the option to donate to the Penn State Student Emergency Fund when they pay for their meal at any residential dining facility or via a mobile order.
In addition, the University Park Undergraduate Association, in coordination with Student Affairs, formed the Student Advisory Board on Student Poverty in October 2021. The board released its set of recommendations in March and is working with Student Affairs to move these recommendations forward.
Students can learn more about available financial, food and housing security, and other basic needs resources online.