Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Maurice A. Sterns can be contacted at maurysterns2000ayahoodcom
Country of Service: Venezuela
Training Group: University Education
Cities you served in: Maracaibo
Arrival Year: 1962
Departure Year: 1964
Work Description:
taught at Universidad del Zulia, established accredited high school program at Carcel Model, and with support from Governor and Shell Oil Company, established a program via Associacion Zuliana de Ciegos where blind adults were teaching blind children; served as editor of El Guaicaipuro (newsletter of Venezuela PCVs); chaired Venezuela Higher Education Conference which included both Peace Corps participants and Venezuelan leaders from university community around the country.
Bring us up to date on your life after the peace corps:
Retired last year from World Bank where I had been a senior training officer and executive director of the Executive Development Program; included much international work facilitating workshops especially in Latin America which enabled me to keep my Spanish and Portuguese fresh and up to date. Among the workshops I conducted was one held in Coro and another in Porlomar on Margarita Island--both supported developing an active network among health and education professionals involved in implementing development projects. Since retirement, I have continued to consult for World Bank--this year I have facilitated teambuilding programs and leadership training programs in Thailand, 3 times in Brazil, in Guyana, Ecuador, and Honduras
Any thoughts you have now looking back on peace corps days?:
It was a fabulous experience which had major impact on my life after the Peace Corps which has focused primarily on issues related to cross-cultural communication and international development
Anyone you are looking for or would like to hear from?:
Would be great to reactivate contact with others in the Venezuela University Project that served around same time; would also be great to organize a Friends of Venezuela Group among RPCVs and affiliate with NPCA. I served on the Board of National Peace Corps Association for about 18 consecutive years (1985-2001)and in that capacity served as an officer and in particular I continue to serve as Chair of the NPCA Awards Committee. It's a great organization and I encourage other RPCVs to join and support it.
Any message for returned volunteers?:
See message just above.
Originally posted: September 4, 2003
