Heartland Students Immerse Themselves in Poverty Simulation

Health and science students at Heartland Community College experience the challenges of living below the poverty line.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 2:24am

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An abstracted, out-of-focus photograph in soft, warm tones depicting a group of college students gathered around a table, their faces obscured but their body language suggesting deep concentration and engagement with the poverty simulation exercise.Heartland Community College students immerse themselves in a poverty simulation, gaining firsthand experience of the daily challenges faced by those living below the poverty line.Peoria Today

More than 50 health and science students at Heartland Community College in Illinois participated in a Community Action Poverty Simulation on Friday. The goal was to help the students, who are training for careers in fields like nursing, radiology, and medical assistance, better understand the challenges many of their future patients face and build empathy. The students were assigned temporary identities and had to navigate complex systems while dealing with issues like childcare, accessing social services, and finding employment.

Why it matters

The simulation aimed to demonstrate the daily struggles of those living in poverty, including difficulties affording medication, accessing healthy food, and navigating complex bureaucratic systems. By experiencing these challenges firsthand, the students gained valuable insight that will help them provide more compassionate and effective care for their future patients.

The details

During the simulation, student Miriam Ibrahim was assigned the identity of 25-year-old Irma Isma, who recently got out of jail and was let go from a job within 36 hours. Isma also has a child from a past relationship and is responsible for child support, title loans, and rent. Ibrahim had to prioritize getting benefits, finding work, and keeping up with her mortgage payments. The simulation demonstrated the daily trade-offs and stresses faced by those living in poverty.

  • The Community Action Poverty Simulation was held on Friday, April 11, 2026 at the McLean County Farm Bureau's Agricultural Center at Heartland Community College.

The players

Miriam Ibrahim

A student studying to be a certified medical assistant at Heartland Community College who participated in the poverty simulation, taking on the temporary identity of 25-year-old Irma Isma.

Martha Stearns

The Medical Assistant Program Coordinator for Heartland Community College who organized the poverty simulation.

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What they’re saying

“For those who can't buy the medication, who can't have the proper diet, any that are in, you know, precautionary living situations, we wanted to give them an idea of what that looked like, and how the patients themselves would have to navigate the system to get what we're asking them to do.”

— Martha Stearns, Medical Assistant Program Coordinator, Heartland Community College

“She also has a child from a past relationship in high school, so she's paying child support on top of that, as well as title loans and rent to her partner that she lives with, who also has a child.”

— Miriam Ibrahim, Student, Heartland Community College

What’s next

The college plans to continue offering the poverty simulation annually to help prepare its health and science students for the challenges their future patients may face.

The takeaway

By immersing themselves in the realities of poverty, the Heartland Community College students gained valuable empathy and insight that will inform their future work in healthcare. The simulation highlighted the daily struggles and trade-offs faced by those living below the poverty line, equipping the students to provide more compassionate and effective care.