Shepherd Poverty Program

Shepherd Poverty Program

The Shepherd Program is an example of W&L’s commitment to incorporating service into our students’ extra-curricular and academic lives. 

The mission of Shepherd is to understand and address poverty in ways that respect the dignity of every person, through:

    • student engagement, both in the classrooms and in the community;
    • academic offerings, including a minor and internship opportunities;
    • community engagement opportunities, local and regional;
    • and career paths, to take what you learn beyond W&L.
academics

Students weave together poverty-related courses across campus (economics, education, law, philosophy, politics, sociology, and more) and hands-on service and internship experiences across the county, the country, and the world to supplement their major areas of study. Those pursuing a minor in poverty studies also undertake capstone research projects that connect their concerns about poverty and inequality with their future civic and professional lives.

community engagement

For over 20 years, The Shepherd Program has supported student leadership and service opportunities in the local Rockbridge area and beyond. Understanding the causes, consequences, and most promising remedies of poverty requires direct collaboration with community partners. 

Discover Shepherd

Shepherd in the News

Students and graduates of the Shepherd Poverty Program are involved all over campus and all over the world.

Stories

More Stories