Microfinance 101 Course

Hosted By The San Diego Microfinance Alliance & ThePoint Loma Nazarene University Microfinance Club

The Microfinance 101 course is a 4-week session that covers the history, basic theories, and current trends in the microfinance industry, as well as provides an understanding of how microfinance is being utilized in San Diego today.  Hosted by The San Diego Microfinance Alliance and The Point Loma Nazarene Univerisity Microfinance Club, the course is designed to teach participants about how microfinance works as a viable tool for poverty alleviation and engage course participants in ways to become involved as volunteers, investors, or just fans of microfinance.

The course will be taught by a combination of local university professors (University of San Diego and Point Loma Nazarene University) and microfinance practitioners from organizations such as the International Rescue Committee, ACCION San Diego, CDC Small Business Finance and The Foundation For Women

When: 7:00pm-8:30pm Tuesday, October 6th,13th, 20th, and 27th

Purchasing a ticket confirms your registration and reserves your spot at all four October class sessions.

Register soon!  Space is limited to the first 50 participants that sign up.  For any further questions, please email info@sdmicrofinance.org

Session 1: The Working Poor

October 6th, 7:00pm to 8:30pm

Dr. Stephen Conroy, University of San Diego

Bio for Stephen Conroy, Ph.D. 

Stephen Conroy joined the faculty of the University of San Diego in the fall 2004 as 

an Associate Professor of Economics.  

Awards: 

Professor Conroy has received several research and teaching awards, including the 

Preceptor of the Year Award (for “superior performance in teaching and advising”) 

(2009), the Outstanding Undergraduate Business Educator Award (2007), Gamma Phi 

Beta Sorority Professor of the Year Award (2007), Mortar Board Faculty Appreciation 

Dinner (2009, 2007), Teaching Incentive Program (TIP) Award (2004), Excellence in 

Undergraduate Teaching and Advising Award (2003) and the Dyson Faculty Award for 

Excellence in Research and Scholarly Activity (2002 and 2004).  

Degrees: 

Professor Conroy earned a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Southern 

California (1998), where he also received an M.A. in Economics (1995) and completed 

an NIA postdoctoral fellowship in 1999. Professor Conroy received his bachelor’s degree 

in Economics from Creighton University, where he graduated with honors in 1987.  

Courses Taught: 

Professor Conroy enjoys teaching undergraduate and graduate courses primarily in 

applied microeconomics. Among the courses he has taught are a course in Microfinance 

and Wealth Creation as well as Managerial Economics and Decision Making, 

International Business Practicum, Principles of Microeconomics, Principles of 

Macroeconomics and Economic Development of Latin America. 

Publications: 

He has published in a variety of venues, including Journal of Real Estate Finance and 

Economics, Economics of Education Review, Journal of Business Ethics, Social Science 

Quarterly, Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, Contemporary Economic Policy, 

Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, and the School Community Journal. 

Consulting and Business Experience: 

In addition to his academic scholarship, Professor Conroy has also participated in a 

number of economic consulting projects for clients in the private and public sectors, 

especially in the area of economic base analysis and, more recently, in valuation of 

nonmarket assets. Professor Conroy has several years of business experience in the for- 

profit and nonprofit sectors. 

Session 2: Measuring Success

October 13th, 7:00pm to 8:30pm

Rob Gailey, Point Loma Nazarene University

Today’s session will cover an overview of the financial products people need and use and how people go about acquiring those products by saving up, saving down, or saving through. In addition, we will explore the importance of sustainability and how microfinance institutions measure success in terms of breadth and depth of outreach. A key component of microfinance sustainability is through the use of interest rates and we will spend time looking at how rates are set, what interest income is used for, and what institutional challenges exist for determining a fair and reasonable interest rate. We also will look at websites that compare microfinance institutions around the world and efforts to make microfinance more transparent and accountable for social impact.

Bio For Rob Gailey

DEGREES

B.A., Eastern Nazarene College
M.Div., Nazarene Theological Seminary
Doctoral Candidate (ABD), University of San Diego, School of Leadership and Education Sciences, with a concentration in Nonprofit Management

BACKGROUND

Rob Gailey teaches nonprofit organizational management and theories of economic development in the International Development Studies major at PLNU and serves as the faculty advisor to PLNU's Microfinance Club.  He is currently a doctoral candidate (ABD) at the University of San Diego's School of Leadership and Education Sciences, with a concentration in Nonprofit Management.  

As Director of the Center for International Development, Rob Gailey is actively engaged with students across campus to bring awareness and solutions to social issues that impact our global economy.  The Center for International Development has funded students to participate in international development conferences and research in LA, NY, Halifax, Rwanda, DC, and China.  

RESEARCH

Professor Gailey's dissertation research is focused on the role of social capital and household economic welfare among clients of a microfinance organization in South Africa.  Rob's research interests include microfinance, international economic development, poverty measurements, faith-based approaches to holistic relief and development, and intercultural studies.

Rob collaborates with other disciplines and offices on campus to explore how to enhance PLNU's involvement in international humanitarian and development work, and leads student groups to Armenia and Mexico to build homes for impoverished villages.  He has participated in Teachers Noticing Teachers, the Baylor Conference on Poverty, Lazarian World Homes, the American Humanics Management Institute, USD's Social Issues Conference, the Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship at Oxford University, the Global Missiology Conference of the Nazarene church, and various microfinance conferences throughout the region.

INTERESTS

Rob Gailey is a globally-minded individual with proven expertise in his field of study, and a personal background which successfully inspires his research, teaching, and publications.  He spent six years of his childhood in the country of Swaziland and since has conducted microfinance/development training in the following countries: Liberia, Kosovo, Rwanda, Armenia, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Bosnia, Haiti, Georgia, Mongolia, Philippines, Albania, Thailand, South Africa, and Kenya.  

He and his wife, Wanda, served for 18 months as missionaries in the country of Malawi, where Rob directed a vocational school.  Rob has also served two years as research director for the Microcredit Summit Campaign in Washington D.C. and six years as director of Microfinance Consulting Services for World Relief.  Rob and his wife have two children.

For a List of Professor Gailey's publication please visit http://www.pointloma.edu/ArmenianCenter/ContactUs/MeettheDirector.htm

Session 3: Local Lending and the Power of Small Business

October 20th, 7:00pm to 8:30pm

Susan Lamping, CDC Small Business Finance

Susan Lamping, Senior Community Loan Officer at CDC Small Business Finance, has overseen the Community Lending activities at the CDC for the last seven years. She assists local businesses meet their technical assistance and financing needs through a variety of different sources. She acts as the liaison for the technical assistance needs of small businesses in San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Imperial Counties, utilizing partner organizations to link clients with the appropriate business assistance. In partnership with some of the local banks in San Diego, she assists borrowers in acquiring SBA financing as well as financing through alternative sources.

Prior to this, Ms. Lamping was the Vice President of Lending and Marketing at ACCCON San Diego, a local micro lending organization, for five years. In this capacity she managed all aspects of lending, marketing and outreach targeted towards underserved business owners. Ms. Lamping was instrumental in creating new partnerships with local organizations and in implementing new processes to realize greater efficiencies.

She brings with her a wide array of experience in the international and development fields. After graduating with a degree in Economics and a minor in Spanish, she worked as a teacher and teacher trainer in Nepal with the US Peace Corps. Ms. Lamping has taught high school math, English as a second language and held several positions in a research capacity. She received her Master’s degree in International and Intercultural Management from the School for International Training and is proficient in three languages.

Session 4: Microfinance In San Diego

October 27th, 7:00pm to 8:30pm

 Point Loma Nazarene University

The fourth and final session will be a presentation by several microfinance professionals, each representing a unique local microfinance organization.  Participants in the course will learn about how these organizations utilize microfinance to engage refugees, immigrants, men, women, entrepreneurs and small-business owners in the local economy.

1. Maria Montano - Loan Officer at ACCION San Diego

Ms. Montaño joined the ACCION team in March 2001 and was promoted to Loan Officer in March 2003. As a loan officer, Ms. Montaño is responsible for generating new loans, marketing and outreach, and loan servicing. She is bilingual in English and Spanish and brings over ten years of experience in office management to her position.

2. Joel Chrisco - Microenterprise Program Specialist at International Rescue Committee

3. Murugi Kenyatta - Executive Directoror at Foundation For Women