Mildred Warner, Director of Graduate Studies at Cornell said, "We are very pleased to be able to partner with Peace Corps in the Fellows program. Returned Peace Corps Volunteers make excellent graduate students and we are excited to be able to place them to work with distressed urban communities here in New York as part of our Graduate Research Fellowship in Children, Family and Community Development Policymaking. The program has just been inaugurated and we have already been able to accept students into our Masters Program in Regional Planning here at Cornell University for next year. The field of urban planning is becoming increasingly important for Peace Corps, and the experience of returned Peace Corps Volunteers can be very helpful in distressed US communities. This partnership is good for all."
Peace Corps Fellows/USA Partners with Cornell University
Peace Corps Fellows/USA Partners with Cornell University
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 2, 2008 - The Peace Corps recently welcomed Cornell University as its newest Fellows/USA partner school. Cornell joins more than 45 other institutions in offering the Fellows/USA option to returned Peace Corps Volunteers. Cornell’s program, offered through the Department of City and Regional Planning, will grant successful Fellows master’s degrees in regional planning (MRP).
Mildred Warner, Director of Graduate Studies at Cornell said, "We are very pleased to be able to partner with Peace Corps in the Fellows program. Returned Peace Corps Volunteers make excellent graduate students and we are excited to be able to place them to work with distressed urban communities here in New York as part of our Graduate Research Fellowship in Children, Family and Community Development Policymaking. The program has just been inaugurated and we have already been able to accept students into our Masters Program in Regional Planning here at Cornell University for next year. The field of urban planning is becoming increasingly important for Peace Corps, and the experience of returned Peace Corps Volunteers can be very helpful in distressed US communities. This partnership is good for all."
Volunteers who have satisfactorily completed their Peace Corps service will be eligible for the program which in addition to classwork will include a required summer placement with Cornell Urban Schools, a program that supports field placements with community organizations serving New York City’s most disadvantaged neighborhoods. Fellows admitted to the program will be granted a research stipend of $3,600 plus a $1,000 allowance for housing for their summer placement. Fellows will also be given tuition and stipend support.
Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter said, "I am enthusiastic about our new partnership with Cornell University. With this partnership, the Peace Corps will have the opportunity to further develop the skills of Volunteers in the area of urban and regional planning. I am confident that Cornell University will be a strong Fellows/USA partner."
An integral part of the Peace Corps Fellows/USA program is a substantive, degree-related internship in a high-need community. With their cross-cultural skills, adaptability, and desire to work for improvement, returned Volunteers are valuable assets at their universities. The program has established partnerships with more than 45 universities nationwide. As one of Peace Corps’ domestic programs, Fellows/USA enables returned Volunteers to pursue graduate degrees at a reduced cost while aiding underserved U.S. communities through internships. For more information about Fellows/USA, please visit the Peace Corps Web site at www.peacecorps.gov/fellows.
