March 1, 1996 - Kansas State University: Leverich was teaching literature and English at the National University of Rwanda in the middle of a civil war

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Rwanda: Peace Corps Rwanda : The Peace Corps in Rwanda: March 1, 1996 - Kansas State University: Leverich was teaching literature and English at the National University of Rwanda in the middle of a civil war

By Admin1 (admin) on Saturday, September 13, 2003 - 2:41 pm: Edit Post

Leverich was teaching literature and English at the National University of Rwanda in the middle of a civil war



Leverich was teaching literature and English at the National University of Rwanda in the middle of a civil war

Excitement persuades graduates to volunteer for Peace Corps
TOM ROESLER


Today marks the 35th anniversary of the Peace Corps.

The program, which was started by President Kennedy March 1, 1961, enabled American volunteers to use their education and experience to help developing countries.

Since then, more than 140,000 volunteers have been sent all around the world to help fight illiteracy, hunger, poverty and disease.

More than 1,000 of the volunteers since 1961 have been from Kansas, many coming from K-State. Today, of the 117 volunteers in the Peace Corps from Kansas, 30 of them are from K-State.

"It was an intimate way to learn a new culture, living with and speaking with them," Dave Potter, 1963 graduate in agronomy, said.

Potter served in his term in the country of Chile from 1963 to 1965.

Besides learning about new cultures, the relationships that were made by the volunteers during their term was something that many of the K-State alumni who served said they will always have.

Lizette Henry, a Manhattan resident, met her husband, Jeff, while in Sri Lanka serving in the Peace Corps. Jeff graduated from K-State in 1993 with a masters degree in English.

"We like to say we brought back more than our luggage," Henry said.

Anita Leverich, a 1987 K-State graduate in English with a masters degree in creative writing, agreed.

"It was wonderful. I loved it. The people were friendly, and I made a lot of good friends," Leverich said.

For Leverich, going into the Peace Corps was something she had been interested in since she was 12 years old and saw a commercial about the Peace Corps.

"I remember it vividly. It was a bunch of people pulling in nets on a fish farm from Africa," Leverich said.

Excitement, interest and gaining experience are some of the reasons that attract many of the volunteers into the Peace Corps.

"I'd always heard about it growing up," Henry, said. "Peace Corps is a good option for all college graduates. It kind of gets their feet wet. It was the best experience I could have chosen, but I don't think it's for everyone."

Potter said he joined for a different reason.

"I thought it sounded exciting and didn't have any pressing plans," he said.

Excitement is something some of the volunteers experience, but it isn't always fun. The excitement Henry and Leverich experienced was being in the middle of a war.

Leverich was teaching literature and English at the National University of Rwanda in the middle of a civil war. Leverich and her husband John Burleson, who graduated from K-State also with a masters in creative writing in 1990, were staying in a part of town that turned into a war zone and were evacuated for their own safety.

"My husband was driving the bus we escaped in. It took three days to get away. It was exciting but not fun, because we knew people were dying," Leverich said.

Henry was also around fighting while she was in Sri Lanka.

"It affected everyone there. We knew people were being killed. Sometimes we would come back after a weekend, and some students wouldn't be there any more," Henry said.

Even though some of the volunteers faced life-threatening situations, many of the K-State graduates said the decision to join the Peace Corps was a wise one.

"I wouldn't trade it for the anything, but I wouldn't do it again," Potter said.

The Henrys are still involved with the Peace Corps and have even gone on to train new volunteers. Later this year, they will return to Shi Lanka where they did their work 10 years ago.

"It will be a real trip into the past to see if the things started 10 years ago are still sustained," Lizette Henry said.

The number of volunteers in the Peace Corps with college degrees has increased yearly since 1961, Mark Gearan, Peace Corps director, said.

Today, 97 percent of the volunteers have college degrees, which makes the Peace Corps stronger, said Chris Fell, recruitment coordinator in the Denver regional office.

"At the least, the very least, having a college degree -- if not a degree than 'X amount' of years experience -- you're looking at a strong skill base," he said.



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Story Source: Kansas State University

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Rwanda; Safety and Security of Volunteers

PCOL7730
29

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By omondi obudho (62.24.105.5) on Wednesday, June 29, 2005 - 5:35 am: Edit Post

Omondi Obudho- Mombasa Kenya
Holds a Master of Philosohy Degree In Technology Education,with working experince of over 7 years. wish to be considered for a teaching job in Rwanda


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