Perceptions of Undergraduate Students Regarding Global Hunger

Our knowledge concerning undergraduate perceptions of issues affecting hunger on a global scale is quite limited. Perceptions of approximately 4,000 baccalaureate students from 2005-2014 (20 semesters) were determined using a take-home assignment for the course entitled World Population and Food Prospects (STS 323) at North Carolina State University. Students in this course represent all Colleges on the North Carolina State University campus. Within the first two weeks of the course, students were asked to: List five priorities you think need to be considered in order for hunger to be adequately addressed on a global scale. Although some variation was evident among semesters, the top five answers, listed in order of importance, included: 1) distribution and transportation, 2) awareness of the problem, 3) improve farmer education, 4) government and politics, and 5) population dynamics.