Lending a helping loan
9/4/2006 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
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As a computer science and business major, students are expected to complete an independent study prior to graduation. So this past summer, Kelsey Smith and seven other Lehigh students headed down to a tiny town in
The eight students who went on the trip were not all working on the same project. Smith, a senior from
She continues, “We would play cards in our free time or hang out with the other students who were on the trip with us at the place we were staying. On the final weekend we headed to the Copan Ruins, which was really interesting to see.”
Smith and her teammates had a chance to see their hard work pay off, visiting the homes of the families who they helped to get the loans for. “We went to one woman’s house and she showed us a pot that she was able to buy with the loan. Everyone was really excited to see us; they welcomed us with signs with our names on them and after the loan ceremony, the families all wanted to take us out and show us around the town.”
Todd Watkins, an associate professor of economics at Lehigh who developed the micro finance aspect of this project, offers his thoughts. “This trip was funded by a grant agency, the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance (NCIAA), and we are very thankful for that.” He continues, “Micro finance is a growing industry and is sort of a pilot program here at Lehigh. We’re proud to offer two courses in it, which is something most schools around the country cannot say.”
He then details what the students did on their trip. “We were able to piggyback on with the archaeological project as this was the first time we took micro finance students to
He continues, “We had two main objectives in going down there. First, we wanted to work on developing an internet based way for branch offices to let the banks know that the loan was paid off. Second, we explored ways to put the information about the loan applications on PDA devices. While down there, we spent time around the loan officers to learn more about the field in general, following them around and speaking with them, and we sat and watched different groups get their loans. The loans being given out are extremely small, only about 50 or 100 dollars, so the labor involved to get them is a fraction of the value. With this project we hope to change that.”
He adds, “Kelsey, who was the only woman on her team, was very central in developing the ideas for this software. She was a delight to work with and really jumped in with lots of energy. The other students on the team enjoyed having her.”
Smith, who has four brothers, three of whom are younger, didn’t stop her traveling once she returned to the
Until then however, Smith will be busy at work, in the classroom, on the field hockey turf, and with completing her micro finance project. “We hope to finalize it (the project) in the fall. One of the companies we worked with will be coming up here to meet with us, which should be exciting.”
Smith’s head coach, Julie Mazer, has always been impressed with Kelsey’s ability to multi-task. “Kelsey is so invloved in a number of things around campus, and she has a great ability to take experiences from one and apply to them another.” Mazer continues, “She’s a special kind of person, that’s for sure. She excels in the class, in the community, on the field and throughout campus. All of the success she has had is certainly well deserved, but it has not surprised me.”
Smith and her Mountain Hawk teammates return to action on Saturday afternoon when they travel to
