SHECP Talks

SHECP

During SHECP Talks, we invite guests who are or have been part of the Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty, to share valuable insights, experiences, and lessons they have learned throughout their time with SHECP.

  1. May 27

    Intern Insights: Powerful Mentors & Mindsets

    On this episode, Jen is joined by two SHECP alumnae – Kelsey Stapler (Birmingham-Southern College) and Leela Addepalli (Washington and Lee University).  In 2017, Kelsey was a SHECP Intern with Legal Aid in Charleston, WV. After law school, she returned to Charleston to work as public defender for Kanawha County. In 2024, Leela spent her SHECP summer with Kelsey as her supervisor and mentor at the public defender’s office. Listen in as Kelsey and Leela reflect on their internships, discuss the power of mentorship, and share advice for future interns. More information: https://www.shepherdconsortium.org/post/shecp-talks-powerful-mentors-and-mindsets

    44 min

  2. Mar 27

    Expertise in the Field: Jim Kvach

    On this episode of SHECP Talks, Emily Scaff, a student at Washington and Lee University, is joined by Jim Kvach, a farmer and engaged community member in Lexington, VA. Emily is pursuing a degree in Journalism with minors in Poverty and Human Capabilities Studies and Law, Justice, and Society. She is a member of W&L’s Campus KitchenLeadership Team, a group that works to address food insecurity in the area. Jim Kvach is a local farmer, Master Gardener, and board member of the Rockbridge Area Relief Association. For the past 18 years, Jim has grown and donated many tons of fresh fruit and produce to the local food assistance network, and he is now working on community-wide efforts to help neighbors nourish neighbors. This podcast episode was part of SHECP's 2026 Springboard Event Series on Farming & Food Security. For show notes and a full story visit: https://www.shepherdconsortium.org/post/shecp-talks-expertise-in-the-field-with-jim-kvach

    24 min

  3. 12/17/2025

    Intern Insights with Kelsey Dowling (U of Lynchburg) & Samuel Hudson (VMI)

    On this episode of SHECP Talks, we are joined by two 2015 SHECP Interns — Kelsey Dowling and Samuel Hudson. Kelsey, a 2017 graduate of University Lynchburg, interned with Tenacity Inc., a Boston-based nonprofit that uses tennis to teach reading and life skills to youth from preschool through high school. Samuel, a 2017 graduate of Virginia Military Institute, spent his summer working with Code/Interactive, a New York City nonprofit that places high school students in coding internships. Kelsey and Samuel met during their SHECP summer, and the two are now married and living in Virginia. During their conversation with Abby, Kelsey and Samuel reflected on their SHECP internship experiences and how those insights continue to shape their personal and civic lives. Though their internship placements were in very different settings, both Samuel and Kelsey highlight similar lessons of adaptability and empathy from their internships. Neither currently works in the nonprofit sector, however both emphasize how their early SHECP experience continues to inform their sense of purpose. Kelsey now serves on the board of her local “Girls on the Run”, while Samuel applies the values of equity and perspective he learned during his SHECP internship to his work in clinical research. Both alumni also emphasize the importance of growth through discomfort. “Step outside of your comfort zone,” Samuel said. “Not too far to the point where you shut down but stretch yourself and stress yourself out a little bit. You grow through stress.” Kelsey encouraged future SHECP interns to build on what they already know when stepping into new, stressful environments. Try to find an internship that incorporates something you’re already interested in,” she said. “It gives you a point of comfort when everything else is new.” For more information about topics discussed in the podcast: Girls on the Run helps address mental and physical health concerns in young women by building confidence, fostering relationships, and encouraging the joy of movement. Tenacity Inc. meets a critical need for enriching after-school, in-school and summer programs for Boston youth. Athletic activities are closely integrated with literacy, tutoring, and mentoring programs to help build academic motivation and achievement. Code/Interactive which recently merged with Mouse is a nonprofit that empowers all youth and educators to engage with computer science and creative technology to solve real problems and make meaningful change in our world. For more information about the episode: https://www.shepherdconsortium.org/post/shecp-talks-intern-insights-with-kelsey-dowling-samuel-hudson

    32 min

  4. 11/14/2025

    Expertise in the Field: Lelaine Bigelow, Georgetown Center for Poverty and Inequality

    Earlier this year, the Georgetown Center for Poverty and Inequality published an analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey, that illustrated how the new work requirements in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” are poised to have a disproportionate effect on women, and, therefore, have possible long-term health, education, and future earnings impacts for children in those impacted households. In October, Lelaine Bigelow, Executive Director of the GCPI, joined Jeremy Everett, Executive Director of the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty, for a live episode of SHECP Talks. In addition to discussing GCPI’s recent analysis publication, they touched on Bigelow’s career journey and her motivations for this work, as well as her vision for GCPI’s role in reducing poverty and inequality. In closing, Bigelow reminded us that no matter how we are involved in this work - as researchers, teachers, students, practitioners - success hinges on our ability to “listen first and connect as humans.”

    50 min

  5. 10/15/2025

    Expertise in the Field: Noor Al-Saloum, Shepherd’s Clinic

    Updated October 2025 In this episode of SHECP Talks, Noor Al-Saloum, staff at Shepherd's Clinic in Baltimore, encourages us to view patient intake as a core component of exceptional patient care and effective patient advocacy. Noor currently serves as a Community Health Worker with Shepherd's Clinic for the uninsured, a free clinic located in Baltimore. She has held several roles with Shepherd's Clinic over the past few years, including patient coordinator and executive assistant. Noor is interested in understanding the systemic barriers to healthcare access and equity and has been able to explore these issues firsthand through her work on the ground. As an aspiring primary care physician, Noor hopes her insight into healthcare challenges will inform her comprehensive approach and attention to addressing social determinants of health needs to provide the highest quality care. For more information about the episode: https://www.shepherdconsortium.org/post/shecp-talks-expertise-in-the-field-with-noor-al-saloum-shepherd-s-clinic

    24 min

  6. 08/26/2025

    Intern Insights: Katie Schadler, Bucknell University

    Hi everyone and Welcome to SHECP Talks!    At this summer’s conference, the Friday night Welcome Dinner was co-hosted by SHECP’s six Policy and Nonprofit Leadership Interns. These amazing students had just completed their second summer with SHECP, and this time they had been focusing on understanding the challenges of leading anti-poverty organizations and the development of relevant policy. For this episode, we will honored to share with you Katie Schadler’s welcome address. Katie, an English Major at Bucknell, completed her SHECP Summer internship at Miriam’s Kitchen in 2024 and then served as our first Policy & Nonprofit Leadership Intern with the National Alliance to End Homelessness. Stay tuned after her speech to hear some bonus advice from this year’s interns. You can read her speech and view photos from her summers here: https://www.shepherdconsortium.org/post/reflecting-on-my-shecp-summers-schadler We hope you enjoy.

    13 min

  7. 05/07/2025

    Faculty Voices: Dr. Troy Makal, UVA Wise

    In this episode of SHECP Talks, Dr. Troy Makal, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry at UVA Wise, invites us to consider how deeply interconnected everything truly is, from molecules to community building. Dr. Makal focuses on addressing medical mistrust in rural Appalachia, health disparities, and nutritional access. Blending science with service, Dr. Makal shares how education and community engagement can work hand-in-hand to illuminate the challenges of poverty and empower students to be changemakers. Dr. Makal discusses how he teaches students to approach community-based research through the idea that “everything is connected.” Applying the tenets of osteopathic medicine, a person is a sum of everything that affects them, body, mind, and spirit, to the classroom and community. This conversation highlights how engagement is highest when we use real-world and tangible learning to foster empathy, challenge assumptions, and inspire practical solutions to systemic issues like food insecurity and economic inequality. As he explains, his research on obesity and food deserts highlights how identifying “small problems that are systems of larger problems” is a powerful way to begin addressing entrenched social challenges. Throughout the episode, Dr. Makal emphasizes the value of curiosity, humility, and action: “Your judgment means nothing… what you have instead is an opportunity to learn if you’re open to it.” He urges students to identify what fuels their passion early on, encouraging a life of purpose rooted in understanding and impact. For more information about topics discussed in the podcast: Community Nourishment Project: https://swvagmec.com/cnproject/  Southwest Virginia Graduate Medical Education Consortium: https://swvagmec.com/what-gmec-is-and-does/ Reach out to Dr. Makal through email vem4r@uvawise.edu Thank you to Evan Clark, Geena Ravelo Cepero, and Lela Casey for supporting the production of today's episode.

    37 min

  8. 03/31/2025

    Faculty Voices: Dr. Christa Moore, UVA Wise

    On this special episode of SHECP Talks, where we’re excited to share a recording of a recent event featuring Christa Moore, co-author of Gendered Power in Child Welfare: What's Care Got to Do with It? Joined by Ellen Prusinski, Moore delves into the critical issues explored in the book, including the flaws within Kentucky's child welfare system and the gendered power dynamics that shape it. Co-authored with Patricia Gagné, the book examines systemic shortcomings and offers thoughtful solutions to better care for children in need. Tune in for a compelling conversation on how we can reimagine child welfare systems for more equitable and effective care.

    55 min
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About

During SHECP Talks, we invite guests who are or have been part of the Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty, to share valuable insights, experiences, and lessons they have learned throughout their time with SHECP.

Information

  • Creator
    SHECP
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2022 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    SHECP Talks