Column: A Tale of Two Campuses: Closing Sumter's college food gap

In Sumter, our two main colleges, Morris College and USC Sumter, serve our community in very different ways, but when it comes to access to healthy food, their students face very different realities.

A mile from USC Sumter, students will find numerous healthy food stores, supermarkets and fresh markets, along with nice restaurants and cafes. Walking that same distance from Morris College, you'll find nothing healthy to eat at all.

This disparity has real consequences for student health, academic success and basic dignity. It's also central to the findings in our study published this month in the journal Environment, Development and Sustainability. We mapped every food store and restaurant within one mile of every historically Black college and university (HBCU) and USC campus in South Carolina. The results were startling.

What does the data tell us?

Most HBCUs had no nearby supermarkets, while many USC campuses had several. On top of that, students at HBCUs have to travel farther just to reach a healthy food option.

The results for Sumter are particularly striking. Morris College is located in a food desert, meaning there are zero healthy grocery stores within a one-mile radius. Meanwhile, USC Sumter is located in vibrant food environment with multiple supermarkets and fresh food retailers, all within 1 mile of the campus. When comparing the CDC's Modified Retail Food Environment Index (mRFEI), which scores food environments from 0 (food desert) to 100 (healthiest food environment possible), the mRFEI for Morris College is 0, while USC Sumter's score is 28, one of the highest in the study.

Of course, this reality is not unique to Sumter. Seventy-five percent of our HBCUs are in food deserts, compared to 22% of USC campuses. The average mRFEI for HBCUs is 0.63, while the average for USC campuses is 13.4. These results confirm the stark disparities in food access between HBCUs and USC campuses.

How did we get here?

This isn't a coincidence. This isn't simply because of geography, income or educational attainment. After all, these are all college students.

Research points to a legacy of discriminatory planning and disinvestment. Black neighborhoods and institutions have historically been underserved by supermarkets and grocery chains, while fast food restaurants and convenience stores dominate. Zoning decisions and infrastructure investment have consistently favored wealthier, white areas, including the neighborhoods around predominantly white institutions (PWIs).

And for HBCU students, these inequities have real consequences. Limited access to healthy food is linked to higher rates of food insecurity, poorer nutrition and lower academic performance. At HBCUs like Morris College, this challenge is especially important because many students live on campus and do not have consistent transportation. That makes the surrounding food environment even more important.

What can we do?

Thankfully, Morris College is not waiting for things to change. Through its "Morris Helps" initiative, they are providing food, essential supplies and support for students and Sumter families facing food insecurity. Morris College ROTC has also partnered with Sumter United Ministries to serve meals to community members in need. Efforts like these demonstrate Morris College's deep commitment to its campus and its community.

But they can't reverse decades of inequity on their own. We need Sumter's leaders, including the city and county officials, the business community, and yes, USC Sumter administrators, to take action to close the gap. Here are some steps that can be taken:

Bring healthy food closer to Morris College. Relationships with local grocery stores, farmers' markets and small businesses can be forged to expand access to fresh food at Morris College. Tax incentives and grant programs can also be used to encourage supermarkets and other healthy stores to move closer to Morris College.

Invest in programs like Morris Helps. With direct, dedicated funding and support from the city and local businesses, an initiative like "Morris Helps" can be expanded into a year-'round fresh food hub that provides a continuous source of healthy food and nutrition education. At the state level, the newly formed bipartisan HBCU caucus can fight for funding to support initiatives like these at Morris College, as well as other HBCUs across the state.

Listen to the students and administrators at Morris College. When it comes to developing long-term, sustainable solutions, the people who are most impacted are the ones that should have the most input and influence on the decisions. We need to engage Morris College directly, listen and implement their proposed campus and community-driven solutions to food access. These solutions are the ones that last.

Moving forward

The difference between the food environments around Morris College and USC Sumter is not just a statistic. It's a reflection of how resources are distributed. No student in Sumter should struggle to find healthy food.

In Sumter, we take pride in supporting one another. Addressing food access is a natural extension of those values, and with the right partnerships, the right voices and a strong commitment to food equity, we can ensure that our students at Morris College and USC Sumter each have access to healthy foods.

The real question isn't whether we can. It's whether we will.

Lesley Joseph, Ph.D., P.E, is a Professor of the Practice in the Department of Computer Science, Physics, and Engineering at Benedict College, Columbia.