NMU students gathered in the Northern Center on Wednesday, Sept. 25 to participate in a Poverty Simulation. The simulation was created to expose students to poverty in hopes they will develop a better understanding of what living in poverty is like and the frustrations that come with it.

This event aims to help students of many different majors, as it is beneficial to understand what others might be going through in many careers.

“[The simulation] is centered in nursing, but we have people from speech, language and hearing, education and business,” said Terry Delpier, a nursing professor. 

The main goal was for students to become more empathetic and understanding of what people they work with, or will work with in the future, may be going through.

“We have a lot of students who have some exposure to poverty, either through their lived experience or people they know,” Delpier said. “[On the other hand,] we also have a lot of students who have no experience, and many of our students may go on to work with people who live in disadvantaged situations, so this [simulation] exposes students to some of the frustrations and barriers that people in poverty might face.”

Delpier explained that the hands-on aspect of the event cannot be replicated through a classroom lecture.

“I can teach students knowledge-based things,” Delpier said. “But it’s hard to teach them feeling-based things, and that is what the simulation does. 

The first Poverty Simulation of the year was a success, with 29 students in attendance and 24 student volunteers.