Report Explores Student Attitudes on Poverty

CSC News & Reflections
Spring 2004

What causes poverty? What are ways to help end poverty? Are you concerned that you might be poor at some point in your life?

These questions were asked of Notre Dame students before and after the Urban Plunge, a two-day immersion experience held during winter break in over 30 cities around the country. The questions were based on the Catholic Campaign for Human Development’s annual national study, “Poverty Pulse.”

Although the seminar experience is short, evidence suggests that it influences students’ attitudes. Before the Plunge, 40.3% of students reported family transmission of poverty from one generation to the next as a serious cause of poverty, compared to 22.3% after the Plunge. Also, after the Plunge more students than before attributed poverty to unjust laws, such as changes in welfare rules.

The study also gives insight into various subgroups. Before the Plunge, 16.1% of business students indicated that laziness was an important cause of poverty, compared to 5.4% of Arts and Letters undergraduates. After the Plunge, only 3.2% of business students cited this factor.

One of the challenges with programs such as the Urban Plunge is to assess effectiveness. Since coming to the Center, Rebecca Pettit, director of the Urban Plunge, has been anxious to find out whether students are in fact learning what she hopes they will. “This report gives me glimpses into the student’s thought process prior to and after completing the seminar,” explains Pettit.
Results of such studies can help her choose course readings, class speakers, and the like, to better support the course’s learning goals.

The Urban Plunge is one of the Center’s oldest experiential learning seminars. This year, over 200 students had the opportunity to meet people affected by poverty as well as those working to eradicate it. The Plunge is often a catalyst for further involvement with the Center’s programs.

“ This report shows that the efforts of the Center for Social Concerns are paying off,” notes Tom Trozzolo, Andrews Research Fellow for Developmental Research and Information Services. Trozzolo authored the study, along with Mary Beckman, PhD, associate director of academic affairs, and Pettit.

Study results were published in “The Urban Plunge: College Student Views on Poverty in the U.S.” the sixth report in the Center’s Research Report Series. The report can be downloaded here.