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Hard Times at Yale, Where the Peace Corps Has a Waiting List

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Hard Times at Yale, Where the Peace Corps Has a Waiting List

By MICHAEL WINERIP

EW HAVEN

YALE students are the best and brightest, they go full throttle at whatever they do, and lately, seniors have excelled at worrying. "Everyone's gossiping in the dining halls," says Bethany Lacina. "You hear stuff like Salomon Smith Barney hired hundreds last year, but they're only taking 40 in the whole country this time. Who knows if it's true. But it's preying on everyone's mind."

"Even getting an interview was hard this year," said Andrew Whealy. Two summers ago, as a sophomore, he had an investment banking internship, and last summer, with the flush economy, figured he could take a break, working odd jobs at Yellowstone park. "Now," he says, "People who took internships last summer are first in line ahead of me." Worried? "Not totally, not yet." He had put on a suit and was browsing the booths at the Yale job fair on Friday. "I notice students are looking for financial stability and safety, like the Peace Corps and C.I.A."

Indeed, federal recruiters — Faith Tagg of the Peace Corps, Amy Mechur of the Federal Reserve Board and Bryan ("no last name please") of the C.I.A. — were swamped. "I've got something for you; you'll love this," Agent Bryan cheerfully told visitors, handing out free C.I.A. mugs, C.I.A. pens and C.I.A. paperweights. Jittery seniors carried around stacks of employment brochures in their handsome C.I.A. shopping bags. Agent Bryan assured students they didn't have to be language experts to have a bright future at the C.I.A. "Liberal arts majors are a perfect fit," he said. "We need people doing background checks on new employees. We're looking for self-starters, good writers, people with common sense."

A year ago Ms. Tagg would have been delighted to find a couple of Peace Corps candidates here. Thursday she did 13 interviews and had to put four on a waiting list. Students like Rebecca Jaffe are as intense about the Peace Corps as they would be about Goldman Sachs. Ms. Jaffe dressed formally. "You want to make a good impression," she said. "I was the first interview. I'm willing to leave whenever. I'll take any post. I've traveled to Africa, done Outward Bound, slept on rocks. I think with my experience I stand a decent chance."