I think this new policy is a mistake. Students who attend junior colleges still live at home for the most part. These students do not have the maturity to undergo some of the deprivations they will experience in the Peace Corps. Their mothers still do their laundry. I was 21 when I entered the Peace Corps, but had been away from home for four years. I think I was just barely mature enough to deal with the experience, fulfill my commitment, provide some help and gain as a human being from that experience.

By Linda Marsh Pope (gw-nat.tvi.cc.nm.us - 198.133.180.2) on Wednesday, January 14, 2004 - 9:50 am: Edit Post

Community colleges are as diverse as 4-year institutions and not all community college students are just out of high school. I would have no qualms about the vast majority of community college students I teach being volunteers, provided of course that they otherwise fulfilled all the requirements of being volunteers, including the desires of the country of assignment.

By Grant Parker (cache-ra07.proxy.aol.com - 152.163.252.7) on Wednesday, January 14, 2004 - 11:32 am: Edit Post

The average age of community college students in Michigan is said to be 27 years. It is a mature age. Perhaps more important is the move to open the Peace Corps to an ever broadening part of the Amwerican population. In addition. developing countries badly need expertise in trades- and community colleges represent an ideal source for Americans with the various trades skills.

Grant Parker RPCV from Papua New Guinea

By Grant Parker (cache-ra07.proxy.aol.com - 152.163.252.7) on Wednesday, January 14, 2004 - 11:32 am: Edit Post

The average age of community college students in Michigan is said to be 27 years. It is a mature age. Perhaps more important is the move to open the Peace Corps to an ever broadening part of the Amwerican population. In addition. developing countries badly need expertise in trades- and community colleges represent an ideal source for Americans with the various trades skills.

Grant Parker RPCV from Papua New Guinea

By ed (67-42-100-157.tukw.qwest.net - 67.42.100.157) on Thursday, January 15, 2004 - 11:07 pm: Edit Post

People need to understand what community colleges are. A large percentage of CC students are older than 25, and quite a few are in their 40's or older. Many have years of work experience in a wide variety of highly skilled areas. I have worked in CC in the Seattle area for the past 16 years. I think CC's would be a great place to recruit. I am a former PCV Afghanistan and also worked a year in PC Washington selecting candidates.

By Lynn Kerby (gw.edgecombe.cc.nc.us - 198.85.214.9) on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 10:51 am: Edit Post

As a counselor in a Community College I am very disappointed that individuals do not believe that CC students are capable of fulfilling PC requirements. As stated many CC students are much older than the normal college grad. They have more work experience, life experience, and are highly trained. To say that a CC student isn't qualified is to say that the Community Colleges aren't quality educational institutions. Fear of the unknown is dangerous, and it appears that in this case the unknown is the Community College Student.