Poverty Simulation to take place Oct. 5


cmlife

Central Michigan University students will have the opportunity to experience life in poverty.

The human development and family studies department will host a Poverty Simulation 8:45 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5 in the Bovee University Center Rotunda. 

“Anyone can benefit from the event because the purpose is to increase awareness of those who live in poverty,” said Human Environmental Studies faculty member Katie Reck.

When each student arrives, they will be assigned a family and a persona. The personas range from 3 year-olds to 80 year-olds and have specific traits.

The center of the room will be set up with groups of chairs, which will be each family's home. The perimeter of the room is set up as a city. Participants will have to act as their persona while living every day with limited resources. The simulation will be broken into four 15-minute weeks.

“It is, as my students call it, a giant game of sad monopoly,” Reck said.

The Poverty Simulation is offered once every semester. The event is free and open to all Central Michigan University students. To participate in the simulation, email povertysim@cmich.edu.

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