Students from the Nursing, Physical Therapy, Social Work and Public Health Programs gathered in the JFK Lobby on Oct. 18 to participate in a Poverty Simulation Event.
The simulation provided participants the opportunity to better understand some of the challenges faced by people who live in poverty in the United States.
“Poverty is a reality for many individuals and families,” said Assistant Professor of Nursing Jessica Gregg, who helped organize the simulation.
“But unless you have experienced poverty, it is difficult to truly understand.”
Approximately 80 students and faculty members participated in last month’s event.
The simulation consisted of four 15-minute periods, each representing a week of living in poverty.
Participants were assigned to a family member role or worker’s role. They then had to “live” a month in that role. They were provided a name, age, and income level and were told what benefits they received from the federal and/or state government.
They were also assigned specific transportation options based on their income.
A debriefing session was conducted with participants following the simulation.
“The main objectives of this simulation are to promote poverty awareness, increase understanding, inspire local change, and transform perspectives,” said one of the students who participated in the event.
