Michigan State University (MSU) has a strong presence in the Peace Corps, with over 2,000 MSU alumni having served for the organization. MSU was recognized as one of the top ten large colleges and universities producing the most Peace Corps volunteers. The university's Peace Corps Prep Program helps applicants fulfill the competencies required for the Peace Corps. Cindy Fiser, a recruiter for the Peace Corps and an MSU PhD student, assists with the application process. Volunteering for the Peace Corps is a 27-month commitment, with three months of training and two years of service. Fiser herself served in Malawi as a natural resource management volunteer. The Peace Corps has several sectors, including education, environment, agriculture, and health. Fiser worked with farmers in Malawi and conducted education groups on environmental education and conservation. Adjusting to life as a volunteer can be challenging, but the training and resources provided help ease the transition. Currently, there are 17 Peace Corps volunteers from MSU in 13 countries. MSU alumni Alexander Morley, who graduated with a degree in environmental engineering, is currently serving as a volunteer in Peru. He is training to become a water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) volunteer. Morley has been exploring Peru and its culture in his free time. He looks forward to growing in the community and finding opportunities for personal growth during his two-year service. Serving as a volunteer has made him more comfortable with public speaking and more extroverted. Although his future after the Peace Corps is uncertain, Morley is focused on embracing the experience and going with the flow. [c8f3193b]
CU Boulder has been recognized as one of the all-time top Peace Corps volunteer-producing universities in the nation, coming in at No. 4. In total, 2,131 CU Boulder alumni have served abroad as Peace Corps volunteers since the agency’s founding in 1961. The top five large colleges and universities historically producing the most Peace Corps volunteers in 2024 are University of California, Berkeley, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Washington, University of Colorado Boulder, and University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. CU Boulder offers a partnership program called Peace Corps Prep, which prepares undergraduates for service abroad by providing sector-specific job skills, foreign language proficiency, intercultural competence, and professional leadership development skills. The program is open to all CU Boulder undergraduates and was launched in fall 2018. CU Boulder also has a part-time Peace Corps strategic campus recruiter named Pamela Civins. President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, and more than 240,000 Americans have served in 144 countries worldwide on projects in education, health, environment, agriculture, community economic development, and youth development. [cd228a32]
Carleton College has been recognized as the second-highest producer of Peace Corps volunteers among small colleges, with 504 total volunteers. The top producer is Oberlin College and Conservatory, with Carleton just five students behind. Carleton's President Alison Byerly expressed pride in the recognition and highlighted the impact of a Carleton liberal arts education in fostering community service and cultural understanding. Kyle Fraser-Mines, a Carleton alumna currently serving as an education volunteer in Cambodia, credited Carleton for providing relevant experiences that prepared her for her role. The Peace Corps, established in 1961, has had over 240,000 volunteers serve in 144 countries. Peace Corps Director Carol Spahn praised Carleton and other institutions for inspiring students to become informed global citizens. Peace Corps volunteers serve in various sectors, including education, health, environment, agriculture, youth development, and community economic development. The Peace Corps encourages individuals who embody the spirit of service and cross-cultural understanding to apply for volunteer service. [ceac21ee]
The Peace Corps Prep program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) is accepting applications, with the deadline set for May 15, 2024, at 11:55pm. The program prepares UNL undergraduates for international development fieldwork and potential Peace Corps service. It focuses on building four core competencies: sector-specific skills, foreign language proficiency, intercultural competence, and professional savvy and leadership. Upon completion of the program, students receive a certificate from the Peace Corps. The program also offers a guaranteed scholarship of up to $5,000 for students who study or intern abroad in countries where Peace Corps volunteers have served or on programs that offer intensive language training. Additionally, it provides tailored education abroad advising, Intercultural Development Inventory assessment, social/networking events, opportunities to engage with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, and a culminating course listed on the transcript. [c2daedec]
AmeriCorps and Peace Corps awarded the first Harris Wofford Joint Service Award to more than 200 individuals in Houston, Texas at the annual Points of Light Conference. The award recognizes individuals who have already chosen to serve their country at home and abroad through both programs, as well as the thousands more who make that same commitment in the future. The award is named in honor of the late Senator Harris Wofford, who helped establish both the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps. Wofford's nephew, Chris Wofford, gave out the first award on behalf of his late uncle during the event in Texas. Harris Wofford served as the special representative to Africa, director of operations in Ethiopia, and later, as a Peace Corps associate director. He also helped pass the 1993 National and Community Service Trust Act which created AmeriCorps. More information about the Harris Wofford Joint Service Award can be found on the AmeriCorps website. [53e4ea78]