Crowdfunding Campaigns Build Experience and Community Among First-Year Students Food insecurity persists across the North Shore. A 2018 study found that 38 percent of Salem State students experience hunger. To help combat this crisis on campus, Vanessa Ruget, PhD, associate professor in political science, launched a crowdfunding campaign in 2017 to raise money for the on-campus food pantry as part of a first year seminar called Global Poverty and Charitable Giving. “Crowdfunding is a form of experiential education,” says Vanessa, whose seminar introduces learners to college life and fosters community. Her students’ crowdfunding campaigns—which raise funds from numerous donors online—have secured more than $3,000 for the SSU food pantry over the last three years. The campaigns teach students about fundraising, web design and communication skills, and enable them to collaborate with numerous campus offices.
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YOUR IMPACT IN ACTION
