Namibia RPCV Mark McCullough is new representative for District 30 in Oklahoma



The 39-year-old Republican has been a teacher, a prosecutor and a salesman. He has three college degrees, studied ticks in Antigua, and in a pinch can translate a little Setswana for you. After graduating from high school, McCullough obtained bachelor's and master's degrees from Oklahoma State University and then entered the Peace Corps. He spent two years in Botswana teaching vocational skills -- and acquiring a working knowledge of Setswana -- before returning for law school at the University of Tulsa. "I didn't go to law school to be Perry Mason," he said. "I wanted to round out my education and looked at a law degree as being like an MBA -- something that would be valuable to have."

Namibia RPCV Mark McCullough is new representative for District 30 in Oklahoma

Sapulpa Republican has diverse background

Dec 28, 2006

Tulsa World

Dec. 28--SAPULPA -- New House District 30 Rep. Mark McCullough brings an unusual range of experience to the Legislature for someone who's not yet 40.

The 39-year-old Republican has been a teacher, a prosecutor and a salesman. He has three college degrees, studied ticks in Antigua, and in a pinch can translate a little Setswana for you.

His most important experience, though, may have been the years he spent growing up in Sapulpa.

"I love this community," McCullough said. "Really, it's getting better all the time."

McCullough will be representing his hometown, as well as Kiefer, Mounds and Glenpool.

The seat formerly was held by another Sapulpan, Brian Bingman, who won a vacant state Senate seat in November.

McCullough's father, Everett D. "Mack" McCullough, was a long- time Sapulpa school principal -- Mark's principal, in fact, for most of elementary and junior high school -- and that, McCullough said, gave him "a real appreciation for public education. He was always down at the school."

McCullough said he, his brother and sister "spent many, many hours after school waiting for Dad to take us home."

After graduating from high school, McCullough obtained bachelor's and master's degrees from Oklahoma State University and then entered the Peace Corps. He spent two years in Botswana teaching vocational skills -- and acquiring a working knowledge of Setswana -- before returning for law school at the University of Tulsa.

"I didn't go to law school to be Perry Mason," he said. "I wanted to round out my education and looked at a law degree as being like an MBA -- something that would be valuable to have."

Even so, McCullough spent two years in the Illinois Attorney General's Office and two more with the Marion County prosecutor's office in Indianapolis.

"I liked the work but not the subject matter," he said, "especially after they switched me to special victims."

In 2003, McCullough and his wife, Charlotte McCullough, decided to return to Sapulpa to start a family. They have two young sons, Everett and Clayton.

Since returning to Sapulpa, McCullough has worked as a pharmaceutical company sales representative.

His election to the Legislature, however, put an end to that.

"It's a big hit," he said of the switch to a lawmaker's salary. "We've had a lot of budget meetings, trying to see how we can work this. But here's the deal: If it's something you really think you should do, you run. You do the best you can and let the chips fall where they may."

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: December, 2006; Peace Corps Namibia; Directory of Namibia RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Namibia RPCVs; State Government; Law; Oklahoma

When this story was posted in March 2007, this was on the front page of PCOL:




Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers

---

Subscribe to Peace Corps News Don't miss our new web site, Peace Corps News, for the latest news about the Returned Volunteer community and what is going on with the Peace Corps around the world. Subscribe to our news feed to get Peace Corps news delivered to your desk as it happens. Then visit the Peace Corps Library, History of the Peace Corps, the worldwide RPCV Directory or leave a message for the RPCV community on the RPCV Bulletin Board.

---

---

February 23, 2007: This Month's Top Stories Hill announces Draft Accord in North Korea Nuclear Talks 12 Feb Dodd builds connections in New Hampshire 19 Feb PCVs accused of counterinsurgency activities 19 Feb Harris Wofford declares support for Obama 18 Feb Tschetter becomes the first Director to visit Malawi 16 Feb New Fellows Program at Yale University 15 Feb Sidney Slover helps start donut production in Honduras 16 Feb Kevin O'Donnell's Daughter and Granddaughter are PCVs 14 Feb Joe Krueger helps restore Liberia's timber industry 14 Feb Peace Corps Hippies 13 Feb Maryland RPCVs to screen "American Idealist" on March 3 9 Feb Aaron Kase writes: Moon over Africa 8 Feb Margaret Krome writes: 'Rogue nations' aren't only threat 8 Feb Shays says he would Support McCain 8 Feb A Mistrial for Lieut. Watada 8 Feb Chris Matthews drops the F-bomb 8 Feb RPCVs - Believe it or not 07 Feb White House requests $334 Million for Peace Corps 5 Feb Carol Bellamy writes: We need an Earth Corps 3 Feb First Group of PCVs arrive in Cambodia 2 Feb Mae Jemison wears red for charity 2 Feb Dear Miss Lonelyhearts 30 Jan

---

February 2, 2007: This Month's Top Stories Peace Corps Volunteers in Guinea Are Safe in Mali 28 Jan Lee Wilbur writes: Muslim media images are shocking 31 Jan Gregory Acker plays African drums for 3rd Goal 31 Jan "Jimi Sir" now available for free internet viewing 30 Jan Is Civilian Reserve just another Bush throwaway line? 30 Jan Tony Hall writes: What North Korea really wants 30 Jan Paul Tsongas remembered on 10th anniversary 28 Jan Ben Bell attends Washington march against Iraq war 27 Jan First Peace Corps Volunteers to Serve in Cambodia 26 Jan Phil Hardberger sees 'golden years' ahead for San Antonio 26 Jan Doyle wants smoking ban in Wisconsin 24 Jan Mark Udall to run for Colorado Senate Seat 17 Jan Meredith Walsh works with Burmese refugees 16 Jan Tschetter spends MLK Day with Habitat for Humanity 15 Jan Robert Buckley founds Himalayan Healers 14 Jan James Rupert writes: An aging king in Thailand 14 Jan Michael O'Hanlon writes: A Skeptic's Case For the Surge 14 Jan Senator Dodd opposes Iraq surge 11 Jan Pat Waak celebrates 2008 Democratic Convention 11 Jan Al Kamen writes: The six rules for Congressional Junkets 10 Jan Bill Moyers slams Bush on global warming 10 Jan Psychological biases favor conflict rather than concession 1 Jan

---

The Peace Corps Library The Peace Corps Library is now available online with over 40,000 index entries in 500 categories. Looking for a Returned Volunteer? Check our RPCV Directory or leave a message on our Bulletin Board. New: Sign up to receive our free Monthly Magazine by email, research the History of the Peace Corps, or sign up for a daily news summary of Peace Corps stories. FAQ: Visit our FAQ for more information about PCOL.

---

Chris Dodd's Vision for the Peace Corps Senator Chris Dodd (RPCV Dominican Republic) spoke at the ceremony for this year's Shriver Award and elaborated on issues he raised at Ron Tschetter's hearings. Dodd plans to introduce legislation that may include: setting aside a portion of Peace Corps' budget as seed money for demonstration projects and third goal activities (after adjusting the annual budget upward to accommodate the added expense), more volunteer input into Peace Corps operations, removing medical, healthcare and tax impediments that discourage older volunteers, providing more transparency in the medical screening and appeals process, a more comprehensive health safety net for recently-returned volunteers, and authorizing volunteers to accept, under certain circumstances, private donations to support their development projects. He plans to circulate draft legislation for review to members of the Peace Corps community and welcomes RPCV comments.

---

He served with honor One year ago, Staff Sgt. Robert J. Paul (RPCV Kenya) carried on an ongoing dialog on this website on the military and the peace corps and his role as a member of a Civil Affairs Team in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have just received a report that Sargeant Paul has been killed by a car bomb in Kabul. Words cannot express our feeling of loss for this tremendous injury to the entire RPCV community. Most of us didn't know him personally but we knew him from his words. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. He was one of ours and he served with honor.

---

Meet Ron Tschetter - Our Next Director Read our story about Ron Tschetter's confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that was carried on C-Span. It was very different from the Vasquez hearings in 2001, very cut and dried with low attendance by the public. Among the highlights, Tschetter intends to make recruitment of baby boomers a priority, there are 20 countries under consideration for future programs, Senator Dodd intends to re-introduce his third goal Peace Corps legislation this session, Tschetter is a great admirer of Senator Coleman's quest for accountability, Dodd thinks management at PC may not put volunteers first, Dodd wants Tschetter to look into problems in medical selection, and Tschetter is not a blogger and knows little about the internet or guidelines for volunteer blogs. Read our recap of the hearings as well as Senator Coleman's statement and Tschetter's statement.

---

Peace Corps' Screening and Medical Clearance The purpose of Peace Corps' screening and medical clearance process is to ensure safe accommodation for applicants and minimize undue risk exposure for volunteers to allow PCVS to complete their service without compromising their entry health status. To further these goals, PCOL has obtained a copy of the Peace Corps Screening Guidelines Manual through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and has posted it in the "Peace Corps Library." Applicants and Medical Professionals (especially those who have already served as volunteers) are urged to review the guidelines and leave their comments and suggestions. Then read the story of one RPCV's journey through medical screening and his suggestions for changes to the process.

---

The Peace Corps is "fashionable" again The LA Times says that "the Peace Corps is booming again and "It's hard to know exactly what's behind the resurgence." PCOL Comment: Since the founding of the Peace Corps 45 years ago, Americans have answered Kennedy's call: "Ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man." Over 182,000 have served. Another 200,000 have applied and been unable to serve because of lack of Congressional funding. The Peace Corps has never gone out of fashion. It's Congress that hasn't been keeping pace.

---

PCOL readership increases 100% Monthly readership on "Peace Corps Online" has increased in the past twelve months to 350,000 visitors - over eleven thousand every day - a 100% increase since this time last year. Thanks again, RPCVs and Friends of the Peace Corps, for making PCOL your source of information for the Peace Corps community. And thanks for supporting the Peace Corps Library and History of the Peace Corps. Stay tuned, the best is yet to come.

---

History of the Peace Corps PCOL is proud to announce that Phase One of the "History of the Peace Corps" is now available online. This installment includes over 5,000 pages of primary source documents from the archives of the Peace Corps including every issue of "Peace Corps News," "Peace Corps Times," "Peace Corps Volunteer," "Action Update," and every annual report of the Peace Corps to Congress since 1961. "Ask Not" is an ongoing project. Read how you can help.

Read the stories and leave your comments.