Our Mission
The Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty (SHECP) encourages the study of poverty as a complex social problem, by expanding and improving educational opportunities for college students in a wide range of disciplines and career trajectories. Through its programs, SHECP and its member institutions prepare students for a lifetime of professional and civic efforts to diminish poverty and enhance human capability, while also supporting connections among students, faculty, staff, and alumni engaged in the study of poverty.
Recent news
SHECP Talks: Sociology of Appalachia
Listen in on our conversation about teaching with a course
Professional Insights: Health & Wellness – Dr. Kelli Jarrell
On June 16, 2022, Dr. Kelli Jarrell, a SHECP alum,
Announcing Summer Practitioner Insights Series
The Practitioner Insights series provide an opportunity for summer interns
Student Testimonials
This opportunity truly changed my outlook on addiction and poverty in society. I have seen poverty abroad and I have seen poverty in America, but this internship really helped me look at the reasons for how people could become entrenched in a cycle of poverty.
Reny MatthewBaylor University
During my time at Youth Force, I truly understood the impacts of grassroots campaigns. In a room of teenagers, I was standing around those who are effectively pressuring state government to change their stances on many vital issues.
Andre WareNiagara University
My summer as a Shepherd Intern was a great opportunity for me to live out Notre Dame’s poverty studies minor; I learned so much about health insurance and health access in low-income communities and how I hope to practice medicine in the future.
Rachel TullioUniversity of Notre Dame
Working with LIFT-Philadelphia personalized the issues of poverty and inequality for me. I couldn’t have fully learned the facts of these issues without having met some of the people who live them every day. Knowing their stories has made me determined to make a difference.
Morgan WhiteheadCentre College