Henry Ford Community College (HFCC) Business and Economics Instructor Jared Boyd received an HFCC Presidential Mini-Grant of $2,500 from the College in late 2012 to fund “Learning Through Giving,” a project that helps students learn about the importance of supporting global charitable organizations that assist people in need. In recent weeks Boyd has extended this program to make a greater impact on both his students and charitable organizations.
“Learning Through Giving” required students in Boyd’s BEC 151: Macroeconomics class to act as a charity board responsible for deciding how to allocate a donation of $2,500. Students researched international statistics to find nations with a gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of $2,500 or less. They researched the institutions, cultures and local issues in the impoverished nations, evaluated the nations based on the developed criteria, and decided on a justifiable nation to direct the funds.
In the end, students selected the nation of Niger, in northwest Africa, and the $2,500 funded two non-profit organizations doing great work in the region. The first organization, Eliminate Poverty Now (http://eliminatepovertynow.org/), received $2,000. They invest in poverty reducing projects in various African nations. In Niger they are trying to spread dry land farming technology via a program called Farmers of the Future. The modern farming techniques that are taught improve food production, reduce food insecurity, and increase household incomes.
The second non-profit organization is ABC Schools Niger (http://www.abcschools.org/), which received the remaining $500. ABC Schools Niger focuses on increasing access to primary school, improving literacy rates, and convincing families of the value in education, especially for young girls in the community.
“Students, especially business students, will graduate into a global economy and must be knowledgeable of foreign economies including possible emerging economies. ‘Learning Through Giving’ exposes students to a wide range of national economies, cultures, and issues and focuses on the poor but rising nations,” said Boyd, who has taught at HFCC for about eight years.
The “Learning Through Giving” program continues during the current winter semester. This time around, a social media dimension is now available that allows students to post information to share with family, friends and colleagues. This helps increase awareness on the importance of supporting charitable organizations that help people in need throughout the world.
You can follow Boyd’s students at https://www.facebook.com/LearnShareGive and https://twitter.com/learnsharegive.
About Henry Ford Community College
Henry Ford Community College in Dearborn, Mich., is a comprehensive public community college serving about 18,000 students each fall and winter semester in southeast Michigan. HFCC is dedicated to preparing students for a rapidly changing world and workplace by offering more than 100 associate degree career and university transfer programs. HFCC offers high-quality, innovative programs to meet the educational and training needs of the region. Students prepare to transfer to a university or prepare to go directly to work. HFCC also specializes in customized workforce development training for business and industry. Since its founding in 1938, HFCC has been the gateway to higher education for thousands of students who seek affordable, high-quality post-secondary education. To learn more about Henry Ford Community College, please visit us at www.hfcc.edu or on Facebook, www.hfcc.edu/facebook, Twitter, www.hfcc.edu/twitter, and on YouTube,http://www.youtube.com/user/henryfordcc. You may also call 1.800.585.HFCC (4322).
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Source: Henry Ford Community College
