Make a Grant Project teaches students to make a difference
Students in Penn State Greater Allegheny’s Psychology 479
(Psychology of Gender) course recently learned how they can help
address a global problem related to gender. The class, taught by
associate professor Elizabeth Mazur, first wrote persuasive
papers about important social problems related to gender. In the
papers, they each identified a gender-related problem such as
women’s illiteracy in developing countries, fistulas in African
women, international sexual trafficking or gay rights in the
United States. They presented arguments for its importance,
discussed solutions and argued for a charitable organization as
most effective in addressing the problem. Students also
researched the organization for financial accountability and
transparency. Students gave three-minute presentations on their
chosen topics. They each donated at least $5 to a class-grant
fund, which Mazur matched. The class then voted for the
organization that they felt had the most c