Goals

Overall Poverty Minor Mission and Goals

Drawing upon the Vincentian tradition of service to the poor and the community, the goal of the Niagara University Minor in Vincentian Poverty Studies (VPS) is to educate NU students about poverty in an in depth fashion that fully prepares them to deal effectively with the complexities and challenges that are created by poverty. An essential objective is to bring to life NU’s mission, which states in part, “Niagara seeks to inspire its students to serve all members of society, especially the poor and oppressed, in local communities and the larger world.”

To accomplish this, the minor seeks to create a lifelong commitment to combating poverty while providing students — regardless of major — the knowledge, skills, and practical experience needed to be effective in combating poverty.

VPS Fellows Mission and Goals

VPS Fellows will have similar goals to the full minor, but will not receive the same depth of study as students who undertake the full minor. The primary goal of the VPS Fellow option is to enable students in majors (e.g. Business, Education, Hospitality) that offer limited opportunities for electives to study poverty in greater depth than have otherwise been available and to receive recognition for their poverty related scholarship.

Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty (SHECP) Internship Option

This eight-week summer internship opportunity joins selected students (maximum of four) from Niagara University’s Vincentian Poverty Minor with students at universities from around the United States who are also engaged in the study and combating of poverty. The internship provides the opportunity for future leaders from around the country to become known to each other and to develop relationships via the internship.

Additional information about the Shepherd Internship is available from the Chairperson of the VPS. (Need to add information and application process to our Web pages).

Minor