Shepherd Program
Shepherd Program
The Shepherd Program for the Interdisciplinary Study of Poverty and Human Capability incorporates a spirit of engagement and service into students’ extra-curricular and academic lives. Shepherd students learn how to understand and address the causes and consequences of poverty and inequality in ways that respect the dignity of every person, through community engagement and academic offerings, including a minor and internship opportunities.
Students weave poverty-related courses across disciplines (economics, education, law, philosophy, politics, sociology, and more) with hands-on service and internship experiences to supplement their major areas of study. Those pursuing a minor in poverty studies undertake capstone research projects that connect their concerns about poverty and inequality with their future civic and professional lives.
For over 25 years, The Shepherd Program has supported student leadership and service opportunities in the local Rockbridge area and beyond. Understanding the causes and consequences of poverty requires direct collaboration with community partners.
Shepherd in the News
Students and graduates of the Shepherd Program are involved all over campus and all over the world.
Stories
This year’s event raised more than $13,000 to support the Campus Kitchen’s hunger-fighting project.
Charley will utilize the grant to design pedagogical approaches that strengthen students’ civic engagement and learning.
From a public health Volunteer Venture trip to alumni mentorship, the W&L network opened doors and supported dreams for Liv Ullmann ’25.
Eastwood’s talk, titled “Reflections on the Sociology of Cynicism and Distrust,” will be held Feb. 19 in Northen Auditorium.
All proceeds from the Feb. 1 event will support the Campus Kitchen at W&L’s Backpack Program.
The Nov. 13 lecture on W&L’s campus is free and open to the public.
Beckley worked at ÄűĂĘĘÓƵ for 40 years and served as the founding director of the Shepherd Program for the Interdisciplinary Study of Poverty and Human Capability.
The community is encouraged to participate and donate to support Campus Kitchen’s seasonal programming, which kicks off Nov. 9.
The Shepherd Program offers undergraduates three distinct pathways to complete its eight-week, full-time summer internship, each designed to deepen students’ understanding of poverty.
Kate LeMasters ’15 cultivated a career of addressing public health inequalities with marginalized societies.
W&L alumni return to campus as lecturers for the annual event series, which examines how food systems interact with issues of social justice.
The associate director of W&L’s Shepherd Program will serve a two-year term leading the consortium’s governing board and council beginning in September 2026.