SHECP - Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty

09/21/2026

This summer, Baylor student and SHECP intern Dami Ogunbyi worked for the Guilford County Public Defender’s Office. In her Intern Insights, she describes how her experience transformed her understanding of poverty’s consequences in the legal system, how effective leadership requires empathy, and seeing individuals as more than statistics.

Read Dami’s full reflection, “Worldwide Leadership Begins with Empathy,” on the SHECP website: https://www.shepherdconsortium.org/post/worldwide-leadership-begins-with-empathy

07/13/2026

Tharros Place Residential Director LaToya D. Scott, LMSW and SHECP intern Eli Childress from Manchester University were featured on Savannah, GA news (WSAV-TV) to talk about the benefits of the Shepherd Consortium internship program for both students and community partners. Check it out!

Savannah, GA (WSAV-TV) — This summer, four Savannah-area organizations will receive a little extra help in the form of interns– including Tharros Place.The Shepherd Higher Education Con…

07/07/2026

We were glad to welcome Sam Wilmoth, Senior Manager of Consulting for RAINN, as our first Practitioner Insights speaker of Summer 2026. Sam spoke with our interns about his career working with survivors of sexual violence and shared openly about the bravery and humility he needed to navigate his vocational journey. Sam completed his Shepherd Summer Internship in 2005 with Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia.

The final Practitioner Insights events will be this month. These events are open to consortium members and are geared towards students learning more about vocation and careers in anti-poverty work.

06/22/2026

Hey SHECP alumni! Interested in connecting with 2026 SHECP interns? Join us for a virtual networking event with current students tomorrow night, Tuesday June 23rd at 7pm ET. Meet with students in specialized discussion groups to discuss post-undergraduate pathways. Registration link: https://forms.gle/epnYvyXgf1U5ARxR6

06/15/2026

Interns are out the door and off to work! From Atlanta to Waco, from Georgia Legal Services to New Arrivals Institute, and beyond, the 2026 SHECP Summer Internship program is underway.

Pictured (clockwise from top left): (1) Kalvin dropping off Detiny and Dami at the courthouse before heading to New Arrivals Institute (2) Mellanese and Charlie returning to New American Pathways after a morning of packing boxes, (3) the full Waco cohort (Joy, Ananya, Andrew, Jessica & Amberly) heading to work (4) Fiona at Savannah’s Georgia Legal Services

Baylor University • Baylor Career Center • Berea College • Hamilton College • The Arthur Levitt Public Affairs Center at Hamilton College • Manchester University • Middlebury College • Middlebury College Center for Community Engagement • Millsaps College • Millsaps College Center for Career Education • Washington and Lee University • Washington and Lee Career and Professional Development

06/03/2026

Can we ask for 10 minutes of your time? SHECP is exploring the question: “What tools, skills, mindsets, and understandings do students need to thrive in civic-impact careers?” and we want to hear and learn from you!

We have designed a short survey targeted toward program alumni and community partners to gather information about experiences that shaped their career trajectory, including what experiences helped them the most, what they wish they could have known before entering their field, what has helped them to stay, and/or what pushed them to leave.

If you’re willing to share your experience and expertise, please click on the link to the short survey below. The survey will take about 10 minutes of your time and will remain open until June 12th. We would love to have a wide range of experiences and expertise represented, so please feel free to share this survey with your colleagues and networks!

https://bit.ly/49F9TNk

06/01/2026

Join us this Wednesday for the SHECP Internship Academy keynote address!! Dr. Kelly Hamshaw will present her keynote address entitled "Building Resilience in Rural Places: Insights from Vermont's Flood-Impacted Manufactured Housing Communities." Dr. Hamshaw is a Senior Lecturer and Research Specialist at the University of Vermont Center for Rural Studies. Her teaching focuses on how communities can become more sustainable and resilient, especially in the face of difficult challenges and complex issues, to improve quality of life for all.

Dr. Jill Waity, UNC Wilmington Professor of Sociology, will provide a short welcome and host the event. Dr. Waity is a 2005 alumna of Washington and Lee University and now teaches courses such as Applied Social Research, Poverty Studies, The Community, Modern Social Problems, and Social Policy.

Register here>> https://www.shepherdconsortium.org/post/2026-academy-keynote

05/14/2026

Gibson Ward, W&L ‘27, will join the National Alliance to End Homelessness this summer through the SHECP PNPL program. Gibson will serve as a Policy and Nonprofit Management Intern, working with operations, policy, events, and communications. Welcome, Gibson!

These internships offer a unique opportunity for returning SHECP interns to gain a greater understanding of the dynamics of organizational leadership and the creation of successful anti-poverty policies. To read more about the 2026 PNPL interns, or to learn how you can be involved in this program, visit: https://www.shepherdconsortium.org/post/2026-policy-nonprofit-leadership-interns-selected

05/13/2026

Iris Miller-Bottoms is a member of the 2026 SHECP PNPL cohort in Washington, D.C. Through her internship, she is contributing to nonprofit management and community-based initiatives at So Others Might Eat (SOME). Welcome, Iris!

These internships offer a unique opportunity for returning SHECP interns to gain a greater understanding of the dynamics of organizational leadership and the creation of successful anti-poverty policies. To read more about the 2026 PNPL interns, or to learn how you can be involved in this program, visit: https://www.shepherdconsortium.org/post/2026-policy-nonprofit-leadership-interns-selected

05/12/2026

Tamari Kuzanashvili, a Junior at Middlebury College, will be going to D.C. this summer with the Policy and Nonprofit Leadership cohort. Tamari will serve as a Rural Policy intern with the Brookings Institution’s Global Economy and Development program and will be focusing on policy affecting rural communities and Native American nations. Welcome, Tamari!

These internships offer a unique opportunity for returning SHECP interns to gain a greater understanding of the dynamics of organizational leadership and the creation of successful anti-poverty policies. To read more about the 2026 PNPL interns, or to learn how you can be involved in this program, visit: https://www.shepherdconsortium.org/post/2026-policy-nonprofit-leadership-interns-selected