UVU: Poverty simulation provides glimpse into experiences of low-income life | News, Sports, Jobs

By Pune Media On Oct 26, 2024 16

: To help students and faculty understand the hardships of living in poverty, Utah Valley University hosted a poverty simulator on Sept. 27, 2024, in which attendees took on the roles of low-income family members.

: To help students and faculty understand the hardships of living in poverty, Utah Valley University hosted a poverty simulator on Sept. 27, 2024, in which attendees took on the roles of low-income family members.

: To help students and faculty understand the hardships of living in poverty, Utah Valley University hosted a poverty simulator on Sept. 27, 2024, in which attendees took on the roles of low-income family members.

: To help students and faculty understand the hardships of living in poverty, Utah Valley University hosted a poverty simulator on Sept. 27, 2024, in which attendees took on the roles of low-income family members.

Courtesy UVU Marketing

To help students and faculty understand the hardships of living in poverty, Utah Valley University hosted a poverty simulator on Sept. 27, 2024, in which attendees took on the roles of low-income family members.

Living in poverty is more than a financial burden — it is a continuous, tragic battle for survival impacting millions across the nation. According to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, more than 8% of Utah residents, including nearly 78,000 children, face this harsh reality daily.

To help students and faculty understand these hardships, Utah Valley University hosted a poverty simulator on Sept. 27 where attendees took on the roles of low-income family members.

Thirty students in UVU’s physician assistant program, along with faculty and staff from UVU’s College of Health and Public Service, were invited to attend the event. The simulator divided one month of living into four weeks, with each “week” lasting only 15 minutes.

Participants were given various circumstances such as being a struggling teen mother, unexpected unemployment, living with disabilities and more. They were expected to manage basic needs such as food, housing, transportation and child care.

“It gives you a big perspective on how poverty affects families, the community and the resources that are or aren’t available,” said Merilee Larsen, an associate professor of public health at UVU. “It genuinely shows the seriousness of poverty and how it affects our students. We want to fulfill the need for poverty-based services at UVU and teach empathy to students for their future patients and connections.”

Courtesy UVU Marketing

Throughout the experience, participants faced difficult choices: choosing between paying rent or buying groceries, deciding to spend their last few dollars on medication or transportation, and navigating overwhelming or unavailable community resources.

For many students, the poverty simulator was an eye-opening experience that challenged their perceptions of poverty. The fast-paced simulation mirrored the anxiety and frustration often experienced by impoverished individuals.

The event also highlighted the harsh reality that poverty is usually not a temporary situation but an ongoing struggle that shapes every aspect of life. When each day is spent trying to survive, it leaves little room for opportunities to better a situation, increase education or access health care.

One of the key objectives of the simulator was to create empathy among future health care professionals. Many participants will continue their careers by working in hospitals, clinics and communities where many clients face financial burdens. By experiencing a glimpse of poverty firsthand, the students gain a deeper understanding of the challenges patients may face beyond their health concerns.

“It’s important to meet people where they are and understand who they are to provide them the right resources for their situations,” said Madison Foisy, a student in UVU’s PA program participating in the simulator. “People can only handle a certain capacity of struggles at a given time, so this helped me realize how and why I chose a career path to help others who need it.”

Courtesy UVU Marketing

Events like the poverty simulator raise awareness and show the importance of creating support systems for various hardships. Utilizing empathy and understanding will help students entering the health care professions prepare with technical and emotional knowledge to serve those around them.

The experience also aligned with UVU’s broader commitment to exceptional care by offering the campus food pantry, the Care Hub and other mental health services that are designed to support the community facing financial challenges. Education can drive change in communities, and UVU is taking it one step further to ensure people living in poverty are not forgotten.

Kacie Huff is a student employee for Utah Valley University Public Relations.

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