WWU Peace Corps Representative Moves to the Institute for Global Engagement

For over a decade, the Peace Corps has provided a grant to Western to have a part-time Peace Corps Representative on campus, which has been hosted with great success by the Career Services Center (CSC).

Effective this fall quarter and at the request of the CSC, the Peace Corps Representative transitioned from the CSC to the Institute for Global Engagement (IGE), which is the home of Education Abroad (study abroad), International Student and Scholar Services, Faculty Global Engagement, and the International Studies Minor. The motivation to move this position from CSC to IGE was that the Peace Corps Representative’s work is in greater alignment with IGE’s mission of facilitating global engagement opportunities for Western’s students, faculty, staff, and graduates.

IGE is pleased that the Peace Corps has realigned its values to work only in communities around the world that invite the Peace Corps to be there. Further, the Peace Corps only provides support that those communities request. Peace Corps Volunteers are paid; are provided with health insurance, leave benefits, and roundtrip airfare; and work in one of six sectors requested by the host community: Agriculture, Community Economic Development, Education, Environment, Health, and Youth in Development.

The Peace Corps has rededicated itself to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility initiatives so that its volunteers “reflect the rich diversity of the United States and … bring diverse perspectives to (its) global work in order to make hands-on, lasting impact alongside local counterparts and communities (www.peacecorps.gov).”

Students and retiring faculty and staff who are interested in learning more about serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer are encouraged to reach out to Jerry Smith, WWU’s Peace Corps Representative, at smithg42@wwu.edu. If you would like Jerry to give a brief presentation in your class or student organization about the Peace Corps, please email him. General information about the Peace Corps can also be found at its website, www.peacecorps.gov.