Although some students opt for studying abroad during their college careers, there are many who do not get the chance to travel the world learning new languages and meeting people of different cultures. Many of those same students may worry that they won’t ever get to leave the country for an extended period in the same way they would have been able to while in school. The Peace Corps offers the chance for students to have the experience they may have missed during college.
The Peace Corps has been around since 1961, and it sends volunteers to countries all over the world to help those in need, whether through education, community development, health, business, agriculture or technology while maintaining the idea of forming a lasting peace between all people.
Senior James Ray is applying to join the Peace Corps in the fall.
“I’ve become more and more interested in sustainable development during my time at Puget Sound due to my involvement in the Global Development Studies interdisciplinary emphasis program,” Ray said. “Studying abroad in Tanzania and traveling around East Africa afterwards helped me decide to apply as well. I’ve met many people that have all recommended the program.”
Since Ray has been abroad in East Africa before, he’s interested in returning with the Peace Corps. However, being too specific in choosing where a student wants to go can make it harder to be accepted into the program. Getting into the Peace Corps isn’t exactly a piece of cake.
Applying to the Peace Corps actually starts with graduating from college. Most volunteers have a bachelor’s degree, but many can join depending on background experience such as work and interests as well as previous volunteer experience. Some positions require specialists depending on the destination.
Those who have graduated from a liberal arts college can qualify through a few different avenues: volunteering or tutoring for a specific amount of hours or a set period of time; being eligible to participate in the teaching and health education fields; or other kinds of development programs. Those who don’t have a degree can opt for the other positions the Peace Corps offers, according to the amount of volunteer and work experience a student has had.
“In order to qualify for the agricultural program, I am going to spend this summer farming since three months of agricultural experience is required for this program in the Peace Corps,” said Jack Baars, another senior who is applying to the Peace Corps.
“My decision to go into the Peace Corps was born out of a desire to travel, and to get really integrated into a single community for an extended period, which is what the Peace Corps offers,” Baars said. “The idea of being able to learn from and teach people that I can have a lasting connection to is exciting to me. I haven’t really had any particular experiences which have pointed me in this direction, although I’ve heard the Peace Corps spoken of highly by a number of folks who have been in it.”
Another part of applying includes having experience with other languages. The Peace Corps requires several years of language classes. During the pre-service training, the Peace Corps helps volunteers practice their fluency by providing language programs in order to make sure that they are up to par. Leadership, community service and a certain level of professionalism are also valued attributes that are looked for in volunteers.
Going abroad with the Peace Corps is challenging in many ways. Serving those in need often requires that volunteers share the same living conditions as those they visit.
“Depending on your position, you could be in any place ranging from an urban setting to an extremely rural area,” Ray said.
Going to other countries requires volunteers to take part in the culture in which they are immersed. Being a volunteer also requires being able to adjust to situations they may not be familiar with and adapt to their new communities.
Although safety is often a concern for many students thinking about going into the Peace Corps, it is the most important aspect for the program. The Peace Corps implements a series of procedures for emergencies and works with the various communities to ensure the safety of the volunteers. Information materials are continuously updated. Conditions in the areas where students volunteer are assessed, taking into account numerous factors such communicative ability, transportation, housing and proximity to other Peace Corps groups.
The Peace Corps offers new and beneficial experiences and pays students for travel expenses, living, medical and dental and health insurance while volunteering. After 27 months spent serving abroad, volunteers are able to improve their chances in the job market thanks to their foreign language training, development of technical skills and understanding of numerous cultures and personable interactions.
Academic credit can be added to a volunteer’s experience as well as scholarships and internships, help with tuition and other programs offered directly through the Peace Corps.
Not a bad way to get some real-world knowledge.