UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State has announced a partnership with the Peace Corps to offer a preparatory program for students interested in volunteering.
Peace Corps Prep is a certificate program for undergraduate students of any major. Students who participate in the program will have the opportunity to gain skills and experiences that will help make them attractive candidates for the Peace Corps or any form of international or service work. The inaugural cohort will begin this fall semester.
Accepted students will build their coursework around one of six strategic competencies that the Peace Corps seeks in its volunteers. The program requires students to complete a set number of field hours in their chosen competency area, complete globally minded classes, show language competency, and complete career-related activities.
Interested students need to complete an online interest form to be considered for the inaugural cohort. Program requirements, application information, and more can be found at https://studentsaffairs.psu.edu/career/peace-corps-prep.
While the certificate program does not guarantee acceptance in the Peace Corps, it will help to provide participants with a competitive advantage.
Penn State has a long and proud history of producing Peace Corps volunteers. Currently 48 Penn State alumni are serving in the Peace Corps and Penn State ranked No. 15 nationally this year for volunteer-producing colleges and universities.
Career Services, a division of Student Affairs, employs a Peace Corps recruiter to help interested students navigate the competitive application process. Andrew Maguire, a returned volunteer who served in Kenya, will help interested students understand the Peace Corps mission and will guide students to acceptance in the program.
The development of the Peace Corps Prep program is a collaboration between Career Services, the College of Agricultural Sciences, the College of Engineering, and the School of International Affairs.
Students can learn more about the Peace Corps resources on campus at https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/career/counseling/peace-corps.