November 11, 2004: Headlines: COS - Ukraine: Recruitment: Urbana/Champaign News-Gazette: Rebecca Houghtaling, a second-year University of Illinois graduate student in urban and regional planning and a Peace Corps representative at the UI, talks about the time she spent in the Ukraine during a recruitment session

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Ukraine: Peace Corps Ukraine : The Peace Corps in the Ukraine: November 11, 2004: Headlines: COS - Ukraine: Recruitment: Urbana/Champaign News-Gazette: Rebecca Houghtaling, a second-year University of Illinois graduate student in urban and regional planning and a Peace Corps representative at the UI, talks about the time she spent in the Ukraine during a recruitment session

By Admin1 (admin) (pool-151-196-36-89.balt.east.verizon.net - 151.196.36.89) on Monday, November 29, 2004 - 3:22 am: Edit Post

Rebecca Houghtaling, a second-year University of Illinois graduate student in urban and regional planning and a Peace Corps representative at the UI, talks about the time she spent in the Ukraine during a recruitment session

Rebecca Houghtaling, a second-year University of Illinois graduate student in urban and regional planning and a Peace Corps representative at the UI, talks about the time she spent in the Ukraine during a recruitment session

Rebecca Houghtaling, a second-year University of Illinois graduate student in urban and regional planning and a Peace Corps representative at the UI, talks about the time she spent in the Ukraine during a recruitment session

Peace Corps representatives look for recruits on campus

By ERNST LAMOTHE JR.

© 2004 THE NEWS-GAZETTE

Published Online November 11, 2004

Caption: Rebecca Houghtaling, a second-year University of Illinois graduate student in urban and regional planning and a Peace Corps representative at the UI, talks about the time she spent in the Ukraine during a recruitment session Tuesday at Temple Hoyne Buell Hall in Urbana. N-G photo by Heather Coit

Michael Palmer doesn't go overseas simply for vacation. He's there to work. He spent his summer months in Bombay, India, for a call center internship and wants to spend a few years in the future working for the Peace Corps.

"It gives you a different perspective of the world," said Palmer of Oak Park, a sophomore at the University of Illinois.

The Peace Corps program offers United States citizens an opportunity to help people in other countries and broaden their perspective on other cultures and customs. The program has recruited well on campus.

The UI ranks 20th nationwide for volunteers from large colleges, according to the Peace Corps. More than 1,600 people from the university have served in the organization since 1961, including 52 currently.

"We have a lot of different types of students in East Central Illinois, and they have a lot of different expertise," said Rebecca Houghtaling, a UI Peace Corps representative. "Someone who has an education degree and grew up in a rural area can not only qualify to teach, but work for our agriculture program."

Most UI students are serving in Africa, with a few scattered in Europe, the Caribbean and South America. Three Chicago-area Peace Corps representatives came to campus this week to help with recruiting.

"They bring new energy and new perspectives to help get the word out on a larger scale," said Houghtaling.

Scot Roskelley, public affairs specialist for the regional office, is one of those new faces. He believes the Peace Corps offers various positive opportunities for all involved. But he does recognize that the world seems to be a more dangerous place with terrorist attacks or kidnappings becoming regular events.

He said officials do their best to keep volunteers out of harm's way.

"We have a big focus on safety and security. We work closely with the U.S. Embassy in every country," said Roskelley. "With that said, things do happen to people, but at the same rate as they happen to people in the U.S."

"It's not for everyone, but for those people who have a sense of adventure and want to give back to the world community and see part of the world they would have never seen," added Houghtaling."

Roskelley believes that despite everything, the Peace Corps program is more important than ever.

"We're bringing in a little bit of the American culture and getting them to see what someone in the U.S. is like. And our volunteers are bringing back cultures to the U.S.," he said. "It creates a mutual understanding with people of different countries and God, do we need that today."

The Peace Corps offers a living allowance and medical support during the 27-month program.

"You're not going to make a lot of money, but you are not going to be neglected either," Houghtaling said.

When their commitment is up, volunteers receive a check for more than $200 for each month.

"It's to help to adjust to life after Peace Corps," Houghtaling said.

At an informational meeting this week, Karen Foote Retzer talked to students about her experiences with the Peace Corps in the 1980s. She had just graduated from a small college in Iowa and wanted to experience the world. She went to the former French colony of Gabon, on the west coast of equatorial Africa, where she taught math in French and conducted English classes. Living in a cement house with only cold water wasn't easy, but she managed.

"It was wonderful to learn to live in a different environment," said Retzer, who now works at the UI survey research lab. "Life was a challenge, but you learn to deal with it and you learn that you can deal with it."

Her parents visited for a month during her stay, and they also found the brief experience rewarding.

"They are in their mid-70s, and to this day, it's a highlight in their lives," Retzer said.

The Peace Corps began on March 1, 1961, a year after then Sen. John F. Kennedy challenged students at the University of Michigan to work in other countries. Since then, more than 170,000 people have joined. Volunteers serve in 69 countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Central and South America, Europe, and the Middle East.

Peace Corps representatives are holding interviews Friday at the Temple Hoyne Buell Hall, 611 E. Lorado Taft Drive, C. It's for students who have already filled out an application. Another round of interviews will take place Dec. 3 at the same location. To schedule, call 333-4889. Visit www.peacecorps.gov for more information.

You can reach Ernst Lamothe Jr. at (217) 351-5223 or via e-mail at elamothe@news-gazette.com.





When this story was posted in November 2004, this was on the front page of PCOL:

The Birth of the Peace Corps The Birth of the Peace Corps
UMBC's Shriver Center and the Maryland Returned Volunteers hosted Scott Stossel, biographer of Sargent Shriver, who spoke on the Birth of the Peace Corps. This is the second annual Peace Corps History series - last year's speaker was Peace Corps Director Jack Vaughn.

Vote "Yes" on NPCA's bylaw changes Vote "Yes" on NPCA's bylaw changes
Take our new poll. NPCA members begin voting this week on bylaw changes to streamline NPCA's Board of Directors. NPCA Chair Ken Hill, the President's Forum and other RPCVs endorse the changes. Mail in your ballot or vote online (after Dec 1), then see on how RPCVs are voting.

November 27, 2004: This Week's Top Stories November 27, 2004: This Week's Top Stories
RPCV reaches out after Soccer attack 27 Nov
Tony Hall serves cold rice to embassy guests 27 Nov
Hope calms injured volunteer's family 26 Nov
Journalist Russell Carollo plans book on Peace Corps 25 Nov
Moyers says next 4 years will be golden age for reporters 24 Nov
RPCV is new president of the Hawaii bar association 23 Nov
Mark Gearan confirmed by Senate for CNS Board 23 Nov
Chris Shays fits in the other Republican Party 22 Nov
DC job a possibility for McPherson 22 Nov
Sentence reduced for man who raped PCV in Vanuatu 21 Nov
Frist criticizes provision in Omnibus Spending Bill 21 Nov
Peace Corps to be funded at $320 million 19 Nov
more top stories...

Charges possible in 1976 PCV slaying Charges possible in 1976 PCV slaying
Congressman Norm Dicks has asked the U.S. attorney in Seattle to consider pursuing charges against Dennis Priven, the man accused of killing Peace Corps Volunteer Deborah Gardner on the South Pacific island of Tonga 28 years ago. Background on this story here and here.
Your vote makes a difference Your vote makes a difference
Make a difference on November 2 - Vote. Then take our RPCV exit poll. See how RPCV's are voting and take a look at the RPCV voter demographic. Finally leave a message on why you voted for John Kerry or for George Bush. Previous poll results here.
Kerry reaches out to Returned Volunteers Kerry reaches out to Returned Volunteers
The Kerry campaign wants the RPCV vote. Read our interview with Dave Magnani, Massachusetts State Senator and Founder of "RPCVs for Kerry," and his answers to our questions about Kerry's plan to triple the size of the Peace Corps, should the next PC Director be an RPCV, and Safety and Security issues. Then read the "RPCVs for Kerry" statement of support and statements by Dr. Robert Pastor, Ambassador Parker Borg, and Paul Oostburg Sanz made at the "RPCVs for Kerry" Press Conference.

RPCV Carl Pope says the key to winning this election is not swaying undecided voters, but persuading those already willing to vote for your candidate to actually go to the polls.

Take our poll and tell us what you are doing to support your candidate.

Finally read our wrap-up of the eight RPCVs in Senate and House races around the country and where the candidates are in their races.
Director Gaddi Vasquez:  The PCOL Interview Director Gaddi Vasquez: The PCOL Interview
PCOL sits down for an extended interview with Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez. Read the entire interview from start to finish and we promise you will learn something about the Peace Corps you didn't know before.

Plus the debate continues over Safety and Security.

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: Urbana/Champaign News-Gazette

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Ukraine; Recruitment

PCOL14803
08

.


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: