Recent Houghton graduate, Grace Retz ’22 and Michael Ritter, assistant professor of International Development at Houghton University, released new research on food insecurity among refugees in Buffalo, NY. Retz and Ritter’s research was published by the Center for Public Justice (CPJ) a Christian civic education and public policy research organization based in Washington, D.C. Retz and Ritter were recipients of The Hatfield Prize, which honors Senator Mark O. Hatfield who was an Oregon senator known for integrating Christian faith with his public policy commitments.

During her time at Houghton, Retz earned degrees in Biology and International Development and minors in Political Science and Global Health. As an active member of Houghton’s Journey’s End tutoring club, Retz served refugees in the area surrounding Houghton through English tutoring. Retz’s combined interests of healthcare and cross-cultural service led her to look into doing faculty-student research on refugees in the Buffalo area. 

Retz completed her research during her senior year alongside Ritter. The pair’s research demonstrated how language barriers and a lack of access to transportation can impact refugees in Buffalo, NY and lead to food insecurity. Retz and Ritter’s research demonstrates Houghton’s mission of creating scholar- servants who are thoughtfully engaged in a diverse and changing world.