Tag: US government

What does the average college kid think?

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Well, I’ve asked some Furman students what they have thought of the United States government’s response to the disaster in Haiti and most are positive responses:

  • “Although the U.S. was not the first to respond– they’ve done a good job helping out” – Furman Sophomore
  • “The United States is participating in Haiti now however it will be interesting to see what they do in the long run.” – Furman Senior

I sat down with Furman sophomore, Sophie More, to discuss: Sophie Interview

Although students may have different opinions on the U.S. government’s role in Haiti, most have shown their support by wearing Haiti t-shirts that were sold during the Furman Men’s soccer tournament that took place to raise money for Haiti.

Haiti Shirts

It’s refreshing to know that college students have an opinion on issues such as the US government’s role in Haiti. Not only do they understand what is happening outside of Furman’s campus but they also show support in fundraising and “Haitian Spirit”.

The Role of the US in the African HIV/AIDS Crisis

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Namibian orphans, some of whose parents fell victim to AIDS, with their caretaker Meme Maria.
Namibian orphans, some of whose parents fell victim to AIDS, with their caretaker Meme Maria.

My goal is to explore US involvement in alleviating the HIV/AIDS crisis in sub-Saharan Africa.  While participating in a ten-week study abroad program to Namibia, South Africa, and Botswana, I learned first-hand how these countries were affected by AIDS.  My focus will be the efforts of government programs (such as PEPFAR and USAID) to address the crisis, and I will compare the policy changes of these programs with the administration change from Bush to Obama. I will assess the dispensation of monetary aid as well as the success of any relief programs being administered in Africa.  I will reference the websites of the programs and assess news articles critiquing the effectiveness of each. I will also interview Furman faculty who have intimate knowledge of this subject.