Courtesy of UCR School of Public Policy
Courtesy of UCR School of Public Policy

The UC Riverside School of Public Policy will launch an initiative in fall 2015 that will educate about poverty-related issues globally and in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

The Blum Initiative on Global and Regional Poverty is possible thanks to a $250,000 donation from former UC Board of Regents chair Richard Blum, and matching donations from both the UC Office of the President and Chancellor Kim Wilcox.

“The mission of the Blum Poverty Initiative resonates well with the overall mission of UC Riverside,” Wilcox told UCR Today. “We work hard to ensure that the world-class education we offer is accessible to all, including those from poverty-stricken areas.”

The initiative will allow the establishment of an undergraduate poverty minor, as well as a lower-division class on poverty and a poverty specialization for the Master of Public Policy program. Internships, a monthly seminar series and an annual poverty policy forum will also be established.