A new analysis from the Institute for Higher Education Policy links food insecurity to lower persistence among older, working, and caregiving college students. The reporting emphasizes that the students most affected by instability often face multiple overlapping barriers—housing, work schedules, and limited institutional awareness or responsiveness. By connecting hunger risk with persistence outcomes, the analysis reinforces that student success interventions need to target basic needs alongside academic support and financial aid access. The development also raises compliance and operational questions for colleges tasked with measuring outcomes, since persistence is increasingly tied to institutional reporting, retention goals, and the design of student support services. For administrators, the findings support expanding targeted supports—such as integrated case management and better referrals—to reduce the likelihood that food insecurity derails continued enrollment.