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By Clint Collins
The Peace Corps remains one of the more visible elements of President Kennedy's legacy. Utah State is going to be reminded of John F. Kennedy's 1961 challenge -- for students to serve their country in the cause of peace by living and working in developing countries. From that challenge, originally offered to University of Michigan students, grew an agency of the federal government devoted to world peace and friendship. Since then, more than 170,000 Peace Corps volunteers have served in 136 countries. The Office of Academic and International Affairs at USU would like to involve more students in this world-wide service. The Peace Corps has nominated 33 qualified individuals from USU as prospective volunteers since 2000. "This number is significantly lower than those of other universities with more developed Peace Corps recruitment programs," Kathy McConkie, assistant to the Vice Provost of Academic and International Affairs, said. During the 2002-2003 school year USU had a part-time recruiter for the first time in school history. Saundra Schimmelphennig was sponsored by the Career Services Office and worked closely with the College of Natural Resources. McConkie said, "We hope to build upon her efforts by contracting a part-time campus Peace Corps representative who will be part of USU's recently reorganized Office of Academic and International Affairs." The USU Office of Academic and International Affairs submitted a proposal for an on-campus Peace Corps representative to the regional Peace Corps office in Denver. "We felt there would be more effective coordination with other international activities we are encouraging on campus if the Peace Corps recruiter was more closely affiliated with the international programs office," Vice Provost of Academic and International Affairs Chris Fawson said. "The proposal was accepted and funded." "We hope to increase opportunities for USU students to participate in meaningful international experiences that have both an academic and a service-oriented focus," Fawson said. "The Peace Corps provides an opportunity for students to expand their portfolio of international experience and expertise." "Think of the Peace Corps and you might imagine teaching in a one-room schoolhouse or farming in a remote area of the world. But while education and agriculture are still an important part of what the Peace Corps does, today's Volunteers are just as likely to be working on HIV/AIDS awareness, helping to establish computer learning centers, or working on small business development," according to the Peace Corps' What do volunteers do? website. Arthur Caplan, assistant professor of economics at USU and returned Peace Corps Volunteer, said of his time with the Peace Corps, "It helped open my mind and my heart to different ways of life and to thinking, as well as to different perspectives on the meaning of life itself." Caplan served from 1986 to 1990 as an extension economist for an on-farm research project in Botswana. "The experience helped me become more focused on developing a career path," Caplan said. "It also deepened my concern for the human condition on this planet." Caplan said for students "this is the best time in life to sign up." It is a "use it or lose it" situation according to Caplan. Once students "commit to a career path, begin building a family of (their) own, and caring for children, time becomes scarce." The current 6,678 Peace Corps Volunteers work in the following areas: education, youth outreach, and community development; health and HIV/AIDS; agriculture and environment; business development; and information technology. Within these areas, the specific duties and esponsibilities of each volunteer can vary widely according to the Peace Corps' website. Jonathan Bringewatt of the Peace Corps' Denver regional Office said the Peace Corps is interested in USU students from the College of Agriculture, the College of Natural Resources, the College of Education and Human Services, and the College of Business. From the looks of it, USU students will be hearing more about the Peace Corps in the future. Vice Provost Fawson said, "We hope to be the best source of Peace Corps recruits in the entire country."
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