2010.10.13: Peace Corps Directors Discuss Impact of Service

Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: Library: Peace Corps: 50th Anniversary: 2010.10.16: University of Michigan commemorates fiftieth anniversary of Peace Corps : 2010.10.13: Peace Corps Directors Discuss Impact of Service

By Admin1 (admin) (98.188.147.225) on Sunday, November 07, 2010 - 5:57 am: Edit Post

Peace Corps Directors Discuss Impact of Service

Peace Corps Directors Discuss Impact of Service

The event, titled "Answering Kennedy's Call to Service", included a recording of Kennedy's original speech and news footage of NBC's coverage of the anniversary. The directors including Aaron Williams, Elaine Chao, Gaddi Vasquez, and Mark Gearan praised Kennedy's ability to motivate Americans to serve, but also recognized that today's Peace Corps needs to adapt to a changing world.

Peace Corps Directors Discuss Impact of Service

Peace Corps Directors Discuss Impact of Service

By Nathalie R. Miraval and JUSTIN C. WORLAND, CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Published: Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Caption: Peace Corps Directors Elaine Chao, Mark Gearan, Gaddi Vasquez, and Aaron Williams at Harvard University.

Past and present Peace Corps directors celebrated the 50th anniversary of a speech given by Former President John F. Kennedy '40 announcing his intention to form the Peace Corps in a forum yesterday evening.

The discussion, sponsored by the JFK Jr. Forum at the Harvard Kennedy School, focused on the Peace Corps' past accomplishments and future goals.

The directors discussed the Peace Corps' achievement in connecting Americans with the rest of the world, while making an impact on the everyday lives of the countries it has served.

"In this globalized economic world, it's important we understand people outside our borders and they should understand us," said Former Peace Corps Director Elaine L. Chao.

Current Director Aaron S. Williams spoke of his visit last week to Ghana, the first country to host Peace Corps volunteers, noting that the impact of the Peace Corps is still visible.

"The Peace Corps allows Americans to engage in different cultures, learn another language, and to promote world peace and friendship," he said.

The event, titled "Answering Kennedy's Call to Service", included a recording of Kennedy's original speech and news footage of NBC's coverage of the anniversary. The directors praised Kennedy's ability to motivate Americans to serve, but also recognized that today's Peace Corps needs to adapt to a changing world.

"I think it may be time for those of us who care about the Peace Corps to cast an unflinching eye at the Peace Corps today, to contemporize it for the next fifty years," said Former Peace Corps Director Mark D. Gearan '78.

His suggestions focused on incorporating advancing technology in volunteer work, and increasing funding and scale, allowing for more volunteers.

Former Peace Corps Director Gaddi H. Vasquez added that the organization should encourage participation from a broader group of ethnic backgro]unds. "One of the aims of the Peace Corps is that it look more like the panel sitting here tonight," he said, referring to the diversity of the speakers.

Over the past 50 years, approximately 1,200 Harvard alumni have volunteered in the Peace Corps, with 19 currently serving, according to Williams.





Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: October, 2010; 50th Anniversary of the Peace Corps; Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams; Elaine Chao; Gaddi Vasquez; Mark Gearan





When this story was posted in November 2010, this was on the front page of PCOL:




Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers RSS Feed

 Site Index Search PCOL with Google Contact PCOL Recent Posts Bulletin Board Open Discussion RPCV Directory Register

Big Omission in Comprehensive Report Date: July 27 2010 No: 1451 Big Omission in Comprehensive Report
The Peace Corps has always neglected the third goal, allocating less than 1% of their resources to it, so when Aaron Williams promised Senator Dodd to provide a "Comprehensive Assessment Report" with ideas to strengthen and reform the agency's operations we expected to see some forceful recommendations to address this critical weakness. Read the report and our commentary on the big omission in the third goal that committee members didn't address, discuss, or even mention.

July 20, 2010: Nita Lowey Pushes Expansion Date: July 24 2010 No: 1447 July 20, 2010: Nita Lowey Pushes Expansion
Nita Lowey pushes $46.15 million PC funding increase 1 Jul
Anne Goddard helps lead ChildFund 12 Jul
PCVs Safe after bombing in Uganda 12 Jul
PCVs Evacuated from Northern Burkina Faso 7 Jul
Ben Masters promotes bamboo bicycles 6 Jul
Danny Dunbar is a fan of Brazil soccer 2 Jul
Christopher Hill leaves Iraq Embassy For Academia 2 Jul
NPCA holds YouTube contest 2 Jul
Larry Palmer nominated as Ambassador to Venezuela 30 Jun
Laurence Leamer writes: America Looks Like a Fortress 29 Jun
Ed Reed writes: Troops' service in Korea not in vain 28 Jun
Mary-Denise Tabar finishes tour in Iraq 24 Jun
Carrie Hessler-Radelet Sworn in as PC Deputy Director 24 Jun
PC Releases Comprehensive Agency Assessment Report 22 Jun
Michael Burden writes: The dilemma on your dinner plate 18 Jun
Safety at risk for Peace Corps volunteers? 17 Jun
PCVs in Southern Kyrgyzstan evacuated safely 15 Jun
Steve Harpt helps dropouts reconstruct their lives 11 Jun
Biden Meets with Peace Corps/Kenya Volunteers 11 Jun
19 Americans Sworn-in as PCVs in Indonesia 4 Jun
PC Celebrates Volunteers Return to Sierra Leone 3 Jun
John Coté makes cross-country walk for US Troops 16 May

May 12, 2010: PC Returns to Colombia Date: May 12 2010 No: 1434 May 12, 2010: PC Returns to Colombia
Colombia Program restarts after 30 Year Absence 11 May
Karen Smith works in Afghanistan and Sudan 24 Apr
Kevin Bubriski began photographing Nepal in 1975 24 Apr
Mark Lenzi writes: Can Poland get past the 'curse'? 14 Apr
Aaron Williams visits Jordan 13 Apr
Committee passes Dodd's Peace Corps Bill 13 Apr
NPCA's Africa Rural Connect wins Award 13 Apr
Brian Kuhn among Scientists on Ancestor Find 12 Apr
Melanie Edwards gathers data on "invisible poor" 12 Apr
Johnnie Carson writes: Africa Policy Under Obama 7 Apr
Be Part Of New Film About The Peace Corps 30 Mar
Chief of Staff encourages PCVs to serve third year 29 Mar
Williams Testifies on Vision for Future of Peace Corps 18 Mar
Heath Lowry teaches Turkish Studies at Princeton 14 Mar
Torkin Wakefield created "Bead for Life" in Uganda 14 Mar
Parents of Murdered PCV Speak Out 12 Mar
Village in Kenya Erects Monument to Megan DaPisa 10 Mar
Frank Swoboda at World Food Prize HQ 10 Mar
Ashley Bates reports from Gaza 4 Mar
Joe Zenisek started Share the Love 10 years ago 28 Feb
Peter Hessler publishes "Country Driving" 25 Feb
Stacia and Kristof Nordin call Malawi home 22 Feb

Memo to Incoming Director Williams Date: August 24 2009 No: 1419 Memo to Incoming Director Williams
PCOL has asked five prominent RPCVs and Staff to write a memo on the most important issues facing the Peace Corps today. Issues raised include the independence of the Peace Corps, political appointments at the agency, revitalizing the five-year rule, lowering the ET rate, empowering volunteers, removing financial barriers to service, increasing the agency's budget, reducing costs, and making the Peace Corps bureaucracy more efficient and responsive. Latest: Greetings from Director Williams

Join Us Mr. President! Date: June 26 2009 No: 1380 Join Us Mr. President!
"We will double the size of the Peace Corps by its 50th anniversary in 2011. And we'll reach out to other nations to engage their young people in similar programs, so that we work side by side to take on the common challenges that confront all humanity," said Barack Obama during his campaign. Returned Volunteers rally and and march to the White House to support a bold new Peace Corps for a new age. Latest: Senator Dodd introduces Peace Corps Improvement and Expansion Act of 2009 .



Read the stories and leave your comments.








Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.

Story Source: Harvard Crimson

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; 50th; Williams; Chao; Vasquez; Gearan

PCOL46044
06


Add a Message


This is a public posting area. Enter your username and password if you have an account. Otherwise, enter your full name as your username and leave the password blank. Your e-mail address is optional.
Username:  
Password:
E-mail: