All seats were taken in the Bardo Art Center by students, staff, faculty, and community members for both presentations of The Global Poverty Project (GPP) on September 7. 
“I had no idea going into it what it was about or anything,” says Cody Groesser a WCU Junior. “I thought it was a nice project and the speech was done very well. But as far as it being a huge impact on the way I already thought or what I already knew, it was not that impactful.”
Although the presentation and Hugh Evans, CEO of GPP, did an outstanding job, many students were left asking “now what?”
“I did expect more about what was going to be happening around Cullowhee,” Matthew Madden, a WCU senior said.
John Whitmire, Co- Chair of the GPP and professor at WCU listed several upcoming events WCU students can participate in. A forum on poverty and the U.S. Constitution, the Wesley’s Stop Hunger Now project, and the Leadership Institute’s House Party are all events happening in the next two months which the campus can participate in such as the House Party and the Stop Hunger Now project. 
The presentation introduced the audience to many ideas of why poverty happens, individuals it affects, and several ways we, as U.S. Citizens, can get involved to fight global poverty. Signing a petition for eradicating polio, living five days on $1.25 to raise money, and registering online to receive more information about GPP were all actions suggested.
So far students and staff are still waiting to see how GPP will impact their lives with more and different events than in previous years. Service learning, extracurricular activities, and our campus as a whole will all be places to monitor and see if GPP is effective on WCU’s campus.
To find out more about Western Carolina University’s Poverty Project or the Global Poverty project you can visit their webpage or “Like” them on Facebook.
