<p>Nice article in the Washington Post regarding the Shepherd Program.</p>
<p>Interesting...anyone who is a current student care to comment on the Poverty classes? I was born and raised in the South and am glad to see attention being focused once again on Appalachia and the inherant problems of rural hardship.</p>
<p>It is a wonderful program - I haven't had a chance to take the intro class yet but I have heard great things and it is always bringing in interesting speakers and it has definitely helped bring service to the forefront of the minds of W&L students (hopefully somewhere it will stay for their entire lives).</p>
<p>I am happy that the article is showing off our program to the country in a positive light, it is a great program. The only problem I have with the article is that the author acts like a typical journalist. To make something really good look not only really good but also really special, you make everything around it look bad, so it absolutely shines in comparison. Thus the references to W&L being a school of rich uncaring white kids who never venture into the "black" part of Lexington (I've been everywhere in Lex and am still not sure where the good and bad parts are) and instead are too busy getting drunk at "frat parties on the river" or are too busy doing the only things sororities do: judging other women. Because you know that's all fraternities and sororities do is get drunk and judge other people. It's not like they're involved in service at all. The fact is without the support of the Greek system, W&L's service projects would not be nearly as successful. They hold tons of fundraisers, blood drives, and other events as well as organizing groups for service projects such as Nabors Service Day.</p>
<p>I agree with what you said. Now go repost it on the Parent's Forum.</p>
<p>Great article. Makes me proud to be an alum and makes me wish I took the Poverty 101 class when I was there.
Good points on the criticism Dima343. There aren't any fraternity houses on the river anyway. That's off campus housing. Shows the effects of parchute journalism there. I'm guessing the "black part of town" is Diamond Hill?
But to be fair to my fellow journalist, the point of that background was to say W&L is a pretty unlikely place to find an innovative program on poverty. It is, by any measure, a rich, conservative, white school.</p>
<p>the parents forum is dominated by some who are virulently anti-anything that doesn't conform to their politics.
i would avoid it like the plague.</p>
<p>i once asked for a list of conservative schools--i've learned not to ask questions among liberals. nasty bunch best left to their own delusions.</p>
<p>
[quote]
i've learned not to ask questions among liberals. nasty bunch best left to their own delusions.
[/quote]
I take offense to that.</p>