Western, Peace Corps announce new prep program

The Peace Corps and Western Washington University today announced a new partnership that will offer students a unique combination of undergraduate coursework and community service to prepare them for a career in international development.

Western students will be able to apply to the new Peace Corps Prep program for enrollment beginning spring quarter of 2016.

“Students today have a passion for service and are interested in not just imagining a better world, but rolling up their sleeves and doing something about it,” Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet said. “Through the Peace Corps Prep program, Western Washington University students can develop skills specifically targeted to Peace Corps service and careers in the international development and service communities.”

Students in Western Washington University’s Peace Corps Prep program will build hands-on experience and leadership skills while completing courses focused on intercultural competence and foreign language. Upon completion of the program, which will be housed in the Career Services Center, students will receive a signed certificate of completion from the Peace Corps.

“As the top Peace Corps volunteer-producing school of our size in the country, it’s clear that Western students are driven to put their higher education to higher purposes through international service,” said Western President Bruce Shepard. “This new partnership with the Peace Corps will enhance our ability to empower even more of them to succeed in making a positive difference in the lives of others all over the world.”

The Peace Corps has Peace Corps Prep program partnerships with more than 25 leading academic institutions nationwide. Established in 2007, the program aims to support schools’ efforts to provide substantive, globally focused experiences for their students. Those who successfully complete the program make competitive Peace Corps applicants.

Western Washington University has proven itself to be an exceptional fit with the Peace Corps’ values, goals, and recruitment needs. For the past ten years, Western has ranked in the top ten universities nationwide. Indeed, for the past three years in a row, Western has ranked as Peace Corps’ No. 1 medium-sized university nationally.

For more information, visit wwu.edu/careers/peacecorps.shtml.