Newsroom

CORVALLIS - The Peace Corps office at Oregon State University is planning several events in April and May to help students, faculty, staff and area residents learn more about the opportunities and new life experiences open to them through this program.

Included in the events on April 23-24 will be an information table set up in The Valley Library, a video presentation, and a slide show. People with a serious interest in the program may schedule an interview on the OSU campus on May 16.

Last year, OSU was 19th in the nation with 38 applicants who were accepted into the Peace Corps. Many vacancies are still available for upcoming placements, some of which leave as early as July. More detail about the OSU Peace Corps program can be found on the web at osu.orst.edu/career/pc.

The university has a long tradition of volunteerism in this program, which was initiated by President Kennedy in 1961 and encourages people to put their education and skills to immediate use around the world working in agriculture, health care, teaching, business and many other fields. Since 1980, the Peace Corps has maintained a small office on the OSU campus where anyone interested can get information about the program. It's usually staffed by a previous Peace Corps volunteer.

"Assisting recruits at the beginning of their journey is quite special," said Chris Cassell, the OSU campus representative, an OSU graduate student in anthropology, and Peace Corps volunteer in Armenia from 1997-99. "And I'm always moved by the stories returned volunteers share."

Aside from the incredible life experiences offered by the Peace Corps and opportunity to make part of the world a better place, Cassell said, there are many advantages to the program of which people are not aware. Student loans can be deferred, Perkins loans can actually be reduced, language-training opportunities abound, and there are many program benefits.

The upcoming events include:

• Information Table: In Java II, downstairs in the OSU Valley Library, people can meet returned Peace Corps volunteers, get details about application procedures, learn about benefits, hear about education and environmental opportunities, and ask questions. The table will be set up Tuesday and Wednesday, April 23-24, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and also on April 23 from 6-9 p.m.

   

• Video presentation: The video shows Peace Corps volunteers living and working overseas, and allows for a question and answer session. It will be in the OSU Memorial Union, Room 213, on Tuesday, April 23, from noon until 1 p.m.

   

• Slide show: Volunteers will share images and talk about their Peace Corps experiences working on everything from literacy to water and grassroots organization. One speaker will be Pavla Zakova Laney of Albany, who is president of Edu-Care Africa, a non-profit group she founded to serve literacy needs in Cameroon. Prudence Miles of OSU's Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity will also speak. The event will be Wednesday, April 24, in the Memorial Union, Room 213, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

   

• Interviews: These will be held in the Office of Career Services in the Kerr Administration Building at OSU, Room 008, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call Chris Cassell at 541-737-0525 to arrange an interview.