Shawn Humphrey

Assistant Professor of Economics

Assistant Professor Shawn Humphrey challenges his students to reach beyond the comfort of his economics classroom.

For a week each spring, professor and students experience how almost half the world lives – by surviving on $2 a day. The group sleeps in makeshift shelters on campus, forgoes showers, and forages for food. At the same time, they solicit donations to fund small loans to third-world entrepreneurs, using what they learn in economics class to help Honduran villagers thousands of miles from Mary Washington.

“This is the future of where education has to go,” Humphrey said, “especially in economic development.”

Such applied learning is never more evident than during trips to Honduras, where students are helping the poor in Siete de Abril rebuild after their small village was wiped out by a hurricane. In 2008, Humphrey and a team of his students, all members of the non-profit group Students Helping Honduras,  distributed cook stoves to combat indoor air pollution, one of the leading causes of death in developing countries.

While there, they discovered the need to do even more.

Humphrey’s class created a microfinance institution so that the villagers in Honduras can get low-interest loans to start small businesses. The students used their experience to create the national Two Dollar Challenge organization, now on 17 campuses across the U.S. The UMW chapter raises funds for the microfinance institution, which is run by students in Humphrey’s upper level economics seminar.

The students are meeting academic goals, learning practical skills, and gaining unique perspectives, Humphrey said. But they have a higher ambition still.

“Our goal is to make a measurable difference in the life of this community,” he said.

One such student, Christine Exley ’09, is well on her way. The recipient of the Darden Award for Academic Achievement at UMW’s 2009 commencement, Exley worked with Humphrey to distribute the cook stoves and create a microfinance institution in Honduras. She plans to begin graduate study at Stanford University.

“Not only did I fall in love with economics because of Dr. Humphrey’s classes, I am able to pursue my Ph.D. in economics at my dream school because of the opportunities and preparation that Dr. Humphrey has provided me,” said Exley.

Humphrey’s inspirational instruction garnered recognition at the 2009 Commencement, where the UMW Alumni Association presented Humphrey, who joined the faculty in 2005, with the Outstanding Young Faculty Member Award.  

“What makes him truly outstanding is his effort to bridge the divide between the classroom and the outside world,” said Bradley Hansen, chair of the economics department.

His passion for creating change will continue to inspire students beyond the boundaries of the university.

In the spring 2009, Humphrey organized the inaugural Poverty Action Conference, which attracted students and experts to UMW from throughout the country to share ideas for reducing global poverty.