Ken Surdin served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco



“Even with my M.S. in Resource Management, I would not have gained this type of opportunity, level of responsibility, and cross cultural experience (learning Arabic and using French) had I stayed in the U.S,” Surdin said. “The Peace Corps is an opportunity to serve your country, promote a positive image of America, serve others in need, learn about yourself and the world, develop new skills including language acquisition, and bring home a deeper understanding of another culture.”

Ken Surdin served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco

Peace Corps Aims to Recruit Wabash Men

by Gary James '10

September 20, 2007

Wabash expects its students to live humanely. The Peace Corps offers one way to fulfill that expectation.

According to recruiter Ken Surdin, 27 Wabash graduates have been nominated into the Peace Corps since 2000. He will be holding an information session about the Corps in Detchon 209 on Tuesday, September 25, 2007 at noon. He will discuss the application process, the benefits of serving, and his own personal experiences with the organization.

“Even with my M.S. in Resource Management, I would not have gained this type of opportunity, level of responsibility, and cross cultural experience (learning Arabic and using French) had I stayed in the U.S,” Surdin said. “The Peace Corps is an opportunity to serve your country, promote a positive image of America, serve others in need, learn about yourself and the world, develop new skills including language acquisition, and bring home a deeper understanding of another culture.”

The Peace Corps is an agency of the federal government established in 1961 as a way to promote world peace and friendship. Peace Corps volunteers provide assistance to countries that request them in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Central and South America, Europe, and the Middle East. More than 182,000 Americans have volunteered in 138 countries around the world in the areas of Education, Community, Health, Environment, Business, Technology, and Agriculture.

Dr. Richard Warner has observed an increasing number of Wallies interested in organizations such as the Peace Corps.

“We’re getting to a time when people are gathering interest in this type of service,” said Warner, Assistant Professor of History. “[The current] generation has been increasingly interested in thinking about the rest of the world and increasingly interested in giving back - just look at the number of people who went down to help out during Katrina.”

The application process requires a completed application form and health questionnaire, a copy of the applicant’s resume and college transcript, and the names of three references. Next, the applicant will be interviewed by a recruitment officer. After matching the applicant’s skills with the skills needed in a particular area, the recruiter will nominate the applicant to serve in a particular region.

Once the applicant has been cleared of medical, legal, and other suitability tests, he will receive an official invitation to serve as a Peace Corps volunteer. If accepted, more information about the host country will be sent, along with instructions regarding volunteer orientation, travel, and the three-month training. The standard length of service is 24 months after training.

Volunteers live in different types of communities and housing arrangements, but the accommodations must meet Peace Corps standards for safety. Volunteers are also provided living allowances for housing and necessities.

Scott Crawford, Director of Schroeder Center for Career Development, said serving in the Peace Corps could have a positive effect in future career searches as well.

“I would always encourage students to come in and talk to us about their plans, so we can explain more about that program and additional possibilities as well, to find out if they really know what they are getting into. It’s almost a life-long program. You do it for that amount of time, but Peace Corps alumni groups are active. Employers love it when you’ve done the Peace Corps. Graduate schools love it when you’ve done the Peace Corp. It’s a very valuable experience to have throughout your life.”

Peace Corps volunteers must be at least 18 years old, pass a variety of medical exams, and undergo a three-month training regime. Applications are available online at www.peacecorps.gov or through a regional recruitment office.

Those interested in attending the information session should RSVP via the Wabash Works Calendar no later than September 24.

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: September, 2007; Peace Corps Morocco; Directory of Morocco RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Morocco RPCVs

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




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

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Dodd vows to filibuster Surveillance Act Senator Chris Dodd vowed to filibuster the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that would grant retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies that helped this administration violate the civil liberties of Americans. "It is time to say: No more. No more trampling on our Constitution. No more excusing those who violate the rule of law. These are fundamental, basic, eternal principles. They have been around, some of them, for as long as the Magna Carta. They are enduring. What they are not is temporary. And what we do not do in a time where our country is at risk is abandon them."

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November 12, 2007: This Month's Top Stories Chris Dodd's service began with Peace Corps 9 Nov Matthew McCue called back to Iraq from Peace Corps 9 Nov Tschetter Visits Turkmenistan 9 Nov Lara Weber writes: Oprah Winfrey's stumble 9 Nov Heather Thompson works with P Diddy 7 Nov Karen Hughes' public diplomacy came to nothing 4 Nov James Rupert writes: Musharraf seizes power 3 Nov Martin Puryear is Man of Mysteries 2 Nov Sarah Chayes says Taliban score major victory 1 Nov John Sullivan runs Sudan Divestment Task Force. 30 Oct Tom Bissell writes: Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro 28 Oct Chris Shays to seek 12th term 25 Oct Helen Dudley can't stop giving 25 Oct Joseph Acaba named to STS-119 Shuttle Crew 22 Oct Vince Floriani in USA Today's All-USA Teacher Team 22 Oct Kelly J. Morris writes "The Bight of Benin" 20 Oct Charles Shelan was Buddhist monk Wondam’s teacher 19 Oct Peace Corps returning to Liberia 18 Oct David Peckham started Village Bicycle Project 16 Oct Alberto Ibarguen announces grant for "Project Impunity" 15 Oct Campbell Memorial Park boosts ecotourism 15 Oct Bowers Family keep daughter's dream alive 15 Oct

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What is the greatest threat facing us now? "People will say it's terrorism. But are there any terrorists in the world who can change the American way of life or our political system? No. Can they knock down a building? Yes. Can they kill somebody? Yes. But can they change us? No. Only we can change ourselves. So what is the great threat we are facing? I would approach this differently, in almost Marshall-like terms. What are the great opportunities out there - ones that we can take advantage of?" Read more.

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Senator Dodd's Peace Corps Hearings Read PCOL's executive summary of Senator Chris Dodd's hearings on July 25 on the Peace Corps Volunteer Empowerment Act and why Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter does not believe the bill would contribute to an improved Peace Corps while four other RPCV witnesses do. Highlights of the hearings included Dodd's questioning of Tschetter on political meetings at Peace Corps Headquarters and the Inspector General's testimony on the re-opening of the Walter Poirier III investigation.

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Paul Theroux: Peace Corps Writer Paul Theroux began by writing about the life he knew in Africa as a Peace Corps Volunteer. His first first three novels are set in Africa and two of his later novels recast his Peace Corps tour as fiction. Read about how Theroux involved himself with rebel politicians, was expelled from Malawi, and how the Peace Corps tried to ruin him financially in John Coyne's analysis and appreciation of one of the greatest American writers of his generation (who also happens to be an RPCV).

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Ambassador revokes clearance for PC Director A post made on PCOL from volunteers in Tanzania alleges that Ambassador Retzer has acted improperly in revoking the country clearance of Country Director Christine Djondo. A statement from Peace Corps' Press Office says that the Peace Corps strongly disagrees with the ambassador’s decision. On June 8 the White House announced that Retzer is being replaced as Ambassador. Latest: Senator Dodd has placed a hold on Mark Green's nomination to be Ambassador to Tanzania.

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Suspect confesses in murder of PCV Search parties in the Philippines discovered the body of Peace Corps Volunteer Julia Campbell near Barangay Batad, Banaue town on April 17. Director Tschetter expressed his sorrow at learning the news. “Julia was a proud member of the Peace Corps family, and she contributed greatly to the lives of Filipino citizens in Donsol, Sorsogon, where she served,” he said. Latest: Suspect Juan Duntugan admits to killing Campbell. Leave your thoughts and condolences .

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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.

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