"For Rachel Williams, managing George Mason’s Patriot Pantry and working toward her cultural studies doctorate go hand-in-hand. “I was already passionate about food insecurity,” Williams said. 'In my cultural studies program, we talk about possibilities for social change and ways to make the world a better place. Working at the Patriot Pantry helps me add to that theoretical lens and speak to specific challenges people are facing.'
"Williams sees how Patriot Pantry gathers a community of people to support each other during times of economic hardship. The Patriot Pantry began in 2014 as one student’s pet project. Today Williams notes that it’s common to see more than 100 orders for bags of food and hygiene products each week. For some students, financial issues and food insecurity might mean the difference between dropping out or graduating.
“'This role opened my eyes to the barriers people face when they’re just trying to get enough to eat,” Williams said. 'The Pantry is a special space where people feel like they can get that connection to the broader student community.' Working with colleagues in University Life taught her lessons about empathy that she wasn’t expecting to learn from her graduate school experience. 'The time supervising the undergraduate student staff is also something I treasure. It’s wonderful that we have ways to grow new leaders in fields like food security.'
"She added, 'When I arrived at the Pantry, I wasn’t really thinking of how I could affect the space beyond my time working in it. But it became clear that there was a lot of potential, and so the work became a challenge to grow a better and more responsive service.'
"This (past) fall, Williams moved on from her Pantry position to begin teaching with the School of Integrative Studies. She sees her work with Patriot Pantry as instrumental to her approach to teaching: 'I know this experience will make me much more understanding of my students facing life challenges.”
February 19, 2026