Fighting poverty: Research helping our communities
Notre Dame’s Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO) is using research to fight poverty in a way that makes a real impact.
This podcast episode features Heather Reynolds, managing director of the Notre Dame Poverty Initiative and the Michael L. Smith Managing Director of the Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO), who shares how Notre Dame’s research has shaped policy changes—such as expanding access to high school diplomas for adults—and helped nonprofits implement programs that truly work. With more than 100 projects in 30 states, LEO’s evidence-based approach is cutting through political divides to create solutions that lift people out of poverty.
We’re also joined by Tracy Kijewski-Correa, the William J. Pulte Director of the Keough School’s Pulte Institute for Global Development. She discusses how her experiences—from being a first-generation student at Notre Dame to leading post-disaster rebuilding efforts—have shaped her work in helping communities build resilience. She also explains how the Keough School’s approach to poverty extends beyond economic hardship, addressing social, psychological, and environmental challenges to foster true human flourishing.
By collaborating with policymakers, local leaders, and global networks, Notre Dame is bridging the gap between poverty research and real-world impact. Listen to the full episode of Notre Dame Stories to learn how Notre Dame is driving change—and why this work matters.
Originally published by at news.nd.edu on March 24, 2025.
Latest Research
- For second year in a row, Notre Dame ranks among top 100 U.S. universities granted utility patents…
- 2025 Graduate Student Awards in Physics & Astronomy AnnouncedThe Department of Physics and Astronomy has announced 2024-25 graduate student award recipients. Nominations are solicited from faculty and graduate students, and those nominations are evaluated by a faculty committee. Resham Regmi is a recipient of the Distinguished…
- What Uganda taught me about business strategy: insights from emerging marketsOver winter break I traveled to Kampala, Uganda’s capital city, to explore how businesses in emerging markets can use marketing strategies to stand out from competitors—a concept known as differentiation. As a marketing and global affairs…
- Notre Dame’s theology department ranked best in the worldThe University of Notre Dame has been ranked as the world’s best theology, divinity, and religious studies program by the influential QS World University Rankings. This is the fourth time…
- Three Arts & Letters faculty recognized for influential educational practice and policy…
- For master of global affairs graduate, global perspective inspires local policy solutionsWorking for a city council member in Cincinnati, Ohio provides Joshua Pine with ample opportunities to collaborate on innovative policies that serve residents. Whether he’s working on safety, transportation or housing, Pine continually finds ways to improve people’s quality of life. In this conversation, Pine, a 2020 graduate of the Keough School’s Master of Global Affairs program, shares how his education prepared him to make a difference.
