NBC television newsman Tim Russert, and his wife, journalist Maureen Orth (RPCV Colombia), shared the commencement address. They urged students to live their dreams and to give back to society to help the less fortunate.



NBC television newsman Tim Russert, and his wife, journalist Maureen Orth (RPCV Colombia), shared the commencement address. They urged students to live their dreams and to give back to society to help the less fortunate.

CNR graduation

By DAVID MCKAY WILSON

DMWILSON@thejournalnews.gannett.com

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: May 27, 2005)

[Excerpt]

NBC television newsman Tim Russert, and his wife, journalist Maureen Orth, shared the commencement address. They urged students to live their dreams and to give back to society to help the less fortunate.

"There's no better exercise for the human heart than reaching down for another person," said Russert, who hosts "Meet the Press."

Among the graduates was Jaclyn Vincent, 26, of New Rochelle, a studio-art major. Vincent, who is hearing impaired, grew up using American Sign Language with a family that included two deaf parents and her two deaf sisters.

Vincent, who was Miss Deaf NY in 2003, will continue her education at CNR, seeking a master's in art therapy. She hopes to work with deaf children.

"My studies have solidified my passion for becoming involved in deaf education," said Vincent, who works as a teaching assistant at New York School for the Deaf in Greenburgh.

While Vincent will continue her education, graduate Nazia Ali, 22, of Yonkers is ready for the working world. She majored in biology and has applied to the Peace Corps, hoping to land a two-year assignment in a developing country. She wants to teach science and health awareness.

Ali, who graduated from Gorton High in 2001, said she first sought placement in Nepal, but turmoil caused the Peace Corps to suspend its program there. Now she's thinking of asking to be assigned to a school in the Fiji Islands in the Pacific.

"I've thought about going to medical school, there are so many options out there," she said. "But right now, I want to work and gain some experience so I can see what these things are like."

When this story was posted in May 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:


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May 7, 2005: This Week's Top Stories "Peace Corps Online" on recess until May 21 7 May Carol Bellamy taking the reins at World Learning 7 May Gopal Khanna appointed White House CFO 7 May Clare Bastable named Conservationist of the Year 7 May Director Gaddi Vasquez visits PCVs in Bulgaria 5 May Abe Pena sets up scholarship fund 5 May Peace Corps closes recruiting sites 4 May Hill pessimistic over Korean nuclear program 4 May Leslie Hawke says PC should split into two organizations 4 May Peace Corps helps students find themselves 3 May Kevin Griffith's Tsunami Assistance Project collects 50k 3 May Tim Wright studied Quechua at UCLA 2 May Doyle not worried about competition 2 May Dodd discusses President's Social Security plan 1 May Randy Mager works in Blue Moon Safaris 1 May PCVs safe in Togo after disputed elections 30 Apr Michael Sells teaches Islamic History and Literature 28 Apr

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May 7, 2005: Special Events "Iowa in Ghana" on exhibit in Waterloo through June 30 "American Taboo" author Phil Weiss in Maryland on June 18 Leland Foerster opens photo exhibition at Cal State RPCV Writers scholarship in Baltimore - deadline June 1 Gary Edwards' music performed in Idaho on May 24 RPCVs: Post your stories or press releases here for inclusion next week.

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Friends of the Peace Corps 170,000 strong 170,000 is a very special number for the RPCV community - it's the number of Volunteers who have served in the Peace Corps since 1961. It's also a number that is very special to us because March is the first month since our founding in January, 2001 that our readership has exceeded 170,000. And while we know that not everyone who comes to this site is an RPCV, they are all "Friends of the Peace Corps." Thanks everybody for making PCOL your source of news for the Returned Volunteer community.

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