Shawnee State students who wish to travel the world and make a difference in the lives of others may be interested in educating themselves on the International Service and Peace Corps Prep Program. SSU is currently one of only seven schools in the country who offer such a program. I sat down with Program Coordinator Tracey Henderson for a personal interview where she shared her valuable insight that I’m excited to pass along to my readers. Before explaining the Peace Corps Prep Program, Henderson explained the Peace Corps itself in a nutshell. Peace Corps is a program of the US Government, and it is an opportunity for people to go overseas and work for twenty-seven months. Henderson said, “It’s three months of very intensive training, and after training you go volunteer in a developing country for two years, and they take all kinds of different skills.”
The biggest programs involved are education. There is a need for teachers of all kinds, especially English teachers. The Peace Corps takes graduates from all types of backgrounds and they put them into teacher training, so you don’t necessarily have to be an English teacher beforehand.
The Peace Corps also focuses on youth and community projects and development, which comes in many forms, and small business development and communication technology, which applies to the business minded and tech savvy.
Public health is another area of the Peace Corps that takes graduates from all types of backgrounds, not just medicine. A wide variety of vocations are needed and accepted. Peace Corps also has volunteer positions in the fields of environment and agriculture.
“Last year we had a student accepted who was a fine arts major in photography,” Henderson said. “So that’s just an example, you don’t have to have a major that’s connected with what you want to do.” If anyone wishes to learn more, they can do so at http://www.peacecorps.gov.
After a brief look into the Peace Corps and the many volunteer opportunities it offers, Henderson walked me through the process of preparation through the SSU International Service and Peace Corps Prep Program. It’s a program established in an official relationship with Peace Corps which allows them to see applicants come forward more prepared and with a stronger portfolio.
“We have students here who were interested in international service after graduation, but didn’t really know what to do about it, so this program is perfect for them,” Henderson said.
Henderson likes to start working with students early on – ideally in their freshman, sophomore, or first-semester junior years, so they have plenty of time to fulfill the program requirements. However, seniors who became interested later on may still apply to the program complete as many requirements as possible and receive mentoring on the Peace Corps application process. By the time students complete the program, they are prepared to submit an impressive, diverse application. The Peace Corps application process takes 9 – 12 months, so anyone interested in joining the Peace Corps right after graduation would be wise to consider the SSU Peace Corps Prep Program as early in their collegiate career as possible, so they are well prepared and able to apply the summer or fall before they plan to graduate.
There’s a lot of volunteer work and course work that goes into making the ideal applicant. As far as what qualifications look good on an application, Henderson said, “A lot of community service”— the SSU program requires a one hundred hours, which Henderson said most students surpass. The Peace Corps likes students with experience in tutoring—especially English—and working with children, and they like to see applicants get as much cross-cultural experience as they can get. Luckily at SSU, there is a great opportunity for that experience because of our wonderful international student population. All Peace Corps Prep students spend time serving as “international student mentors” with new international students.
Along with these requirements, students must participate in a cross-cultural experience outside of Shawnee.
“Ideally, something like study abroad, or an international service trip like the Costa Rica trip, something like that. We’ve got students who have done mission trips and that counts as well,” Henderson said.
The program also involves course work. Some courses are required and some are options which can be worked into whatever program a student is already studying, so it’s not an overwhelming amount of extra classes. The first course, which is offered this fall, is ISPC 1100. It is a one-credit international service seminar in basic cross-cultural skills. It’s open to everyone and requires no prerequisites, and it is ideal for students who want to study abroad, do international service work, or just gain skills to succeed in a diverse workforce. The course meets every other Monday night from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
By the time students are finished with the program, they’re excellent candidates for Peace Corps, and they will have everything Peace Corps is looking for.
Henderson also said there are many benefits and scholarships available for Peace Corps volunteers and even masters programs for graduates who want to join Peace Corps and simultaneously further their education. Anyone wanting more information on the specifics should email Tracey Henderson at thenderson@shawnee.edu, or stop by CIPA and speak with her or any of the staff, who will help guide you in the right direction.
Take it from me, there’s no one more qualified to help you than she. Henderson’s first-hand experience makes her the right person for the job. Once a Peace Corps volunteer herself, Henderson spent three years in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (then Zaire).
When she returned from her stint overseas, Henderson spent time working for the Peace Corps training volunteers. Her passion is finding young people who want to get involved so she can work to equip them with the necessary skills to move forward.
“It’s an absolutely life changing experience that’s impossible to describe to a student. To understand how important this experience is, they just really have to do it for themselves. I would recommend it for anyone who had a passion to see the world beyond their own community.”
So, there are lots of benefits for doing Peace Corps, besides the experience of travelling. You’ll gain confidence and develop skills you weren’t aware you possessed, and undoubtedly return with a lifetime of memories and stories to tell.
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