WEST CHESTER — Pennsylvania’s First Lady Lori Shapiro, state Sen. Carolyn Comitta ’74, and Acting Secretary for the PA Department of Education Dr. Carrie Rowe recently visited West Chester University (WCU) to have an in-depth discussion with students about the many ways that WCU prioritizes students’ basic needs in and out of the classroom. Serving-up success to its undergraduate and graduate students, the University’s Resource Pantry, which first opened in 2016 and later added multifaceted services by aligning with the Center for Civic Engagement & Social Impact, offers one-stop shopping for non-perishable food, fresh produce, toiletries, and school supplies.
WCU Resource Pantry Provides Basic Needs
“No student should have to miss out on higher education and the future career opportunities that come with it because of food or basic needs insecurity,” said Sen. Comitta, who serves on the Senate Education Committee. “While student hunger is a growing issue on campuses across the nation, I’m proud of the work being done at West Chester University and across Pennsylvania to ensure that students have the nutrition and resources they need to learn and thrive. I thank the First Lady, Governor Shapiro, and the University for their leadership and support of this important partnership.”
Since the launch of the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Hunger-Free Campus program in January of 2023, West Chester University has been among those selected to receive funding at colleges, universities, and private licensed schools; $60,000 was awarded to WCU in 2025 and 2024, and $54,399 was awarded in 2023. Thanks to the much-needed financial support, the Center has been able to expand pantry services available to students at its West Chester campus through on-line ordering; increase options for students to access food during evening and weekend hours via on-line order pickup; increase access to healthy and allergy-friendly food; support the expansion of the Resource Pantry at the Philadelphia location; build upon resources to support students in applying for benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); and increase students’ access to off-campus resources.
The staff in the Center for Civic Engagement & Social Impact, which manages the Resource Pantry, also worked with Cheyney University to secure their own Hunger-Free Campus Grant last year. In addition, staff members have also been working with Lincoln University to share information about pantry operations.
“Meeting students’ basic needs continues to be an imperative,” said Acting Secretary of Education Dr. Carrie Rowe. “Pennsylvania is proud that the students, faculty, and staff at West Chester University have not only made this a priority but are modeling ways that others can do the same across the Commonwealth and throughout the nation. We continue to be quite proud of the way this University community has stepped-up to make an ongoing difference in the lives of students.”
The Period Project Launches
Meeting college students’ basic needs, however, is not a one-and-done undertaking. The University became aware of another challenge facing its students — accessing menstrual products due to financial constraints. The launch of the Period Project has helped change much of this by providing free menstrual products in highly frequented on-campus bathrooms.
“Period products are a basic hygiene necessity for students, yet too many young people across the Commonwealth face uncertainty about access during the school day or at college,” said First Lady Lori Shapiro. “I was grateful to visit West Chester University today to learn more about how they launched the Period Project to help provide free menstrual products in campus bathrooms and hear directly from students about how it’s impacting their lives. This program will help us move past stigma, provide essential health products, and give students the dignity and peace of mind they deserve.”
The Period Project was inspired in 2021 as the subject of a Global Studies minor capstone course taken by WCU alumna Katie Kerr ’22. Katie led the implementation of the project and chose to focus her senior capstone research around collecting data on the need for menstrual equity on WCU’s campus. From there, students and now WCU alumnae, Megan Harth ’24 and Lilly-Dawn Harkins ’25, committed themselves to helping their peers secure essential menstrual products at no-cost and on a consistent basis. The two were joined in their grass-roots efforts by The Resource Pantry, in partnership with the Center for Women and Gender Equity, the Center for Civic Engagement and Student Impact, and the Global Studies Minor. The collective work soon led to a collaboration with Aunt Flow, a nonprofit organization working to end period poverty by ensuring access to essential hygiene products, to mount dispensers with free menstruation products on the walls of the highest trafficked bathrooms on campus.
University Provides Support
In spring 2024, Lilly-Dawn and Megan were invited to discuss the Period Project’s details at a cabinet meeting with senior leaders. The two students pitched the administrators about the need for the University to assume financial support for a more permanent network of dispensers. It was at an on-campus Honors College event in fall 2024 that next steps came about; Lilly-Dawn took the initiative to present a proposal to President Laurie Bernotsky. Understanding the project’s importance, President Bernotsky and the members of cabinet agreed without hesitation. Today, the University’s Facilities Department provides the inventory, distribution and maintenance of the dispensers on campus.
“This was a brilliant idea that emanated from concerned students who saw a critical need, collaborated with others, and worked to make it happen,” said President Bernotsky. “We were eager to assist and establish a process whereby the University could provide free menstrual products to students who need them. As advocates and defenders of all our students, we will do whatever we can at this University to remove barriers that impede their success. This has been a win-win for our students and our entire community of learners.”
Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for New Aunt Flow Dispenser
Following the student roundtable, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the Sciences and Engineering Center & The Commons (SECC), where a new Aunt Flow dispenser had recently been installed in the second-floor women’s bathroom. The day of discussion and celebration culminated with a tour of WCU’s Resource Pantry in Commonwealth Hall.
“The period project is near and dear to my heart, and I am so thankful for the work that Megan and Lilly-Dawn continued after my departure from West Chester University,” said Katie. “I applaud the administration for listening to the concerns of these student advocates and taking actionable steps to invest in a previously unmet need and broaching a topic that is often heavily stigmatized. The continuation of the Period Project ensures that no student needs to miss vital class time or carry the burden of basic need insecurity alone.”
Originally Published: May 2, 2025 at 12:48 PM EDT