Megan Carrazana - a 1995 UCD graduate - spent 1996-98 in Bolivia serving in the soil conservation and environmental education program
Megan Carrazana - a 1995 UCD graduate - spent 1996-98 in Bolivia serving in the soil conservation and environmental education program
Peace Corps: An Alternative and Opportunity for Grads
Kevin Elliott
The California Aggie - U. of California : Davis , (U-WIRE)
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DAVIS, Calif. -- After graduation, many students are uncertain about what the future holds. One option that remains a popular choice for UC-Davis alumni is joining the Peace Corps.
Over the years, UC-Davis graduates have comprised a large number of Peace Corps volunteers - working in different types of projects, ranging from grassroots development to cultural exchange. To date, 1,069 alumni have served in 134 countries around the world.
While the first Peace Corps volunteers traveled to Ghana, today it is possible to serve in locations all over the globe - including Africa, Latin America, Asia, the Pacific Islands, Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. The volunteers gain experience in everything from agriculture to education.
"No matter what your major is, we'll find something for you to do," John Clausen, regional recruiter and 1997 UCD graduate, said.
In fact, college graduation provides some of the basic skills necessary to be a successful volunteer. While the minimum age is 18, the Peace Corps generally prefers people that are 21 or older because of this college experience.
According to Clausen, the application process - although fairly lengthy - is not very difficult. "The hardest part about the application process is completing the extensive health questionnaire," Clausen said.
Other requirements include United States citizenship, a background check to determine what legal commitments one might have and, most importantly, the ability to make a two-year commitment. According to Clausen, this is the most critical element of the Peace Corps because there is a 22 percent attrition rate for first-year volunteers.
"Expect to serve about two years, give or take a few months," Clausen said. "Education programs tend to be shorter while agriculture people may stay longer."
Megan Carrazana - a 1995 UCD graduate - spent 1996-98 in Bolivia serving in the soil conservation and environmental education program. She considered her Peace Corps work to be a tremendously positive experience.
"I worked on a government tree farm to introduce new crops, as well as serving in three different schools doing gardens and working with crops and pesticides in another area," Carrazana said.
The work was anything but routine and she said she learned a lot from the experience. "More than anything, it showed me what I don't know," she said. "Now that I'm [at UC-Davis], I have the resources to learn those things. In the future, I'd like to go back into international aid on a grassroots basis."
Lyndsey Howerton - another UCD graduate - served on the opposite side of the world from Carrazana. She taught English as a second language to villagers in Namibia.
"I taught at a rural desert community on the edge of the Kalahari [desert]," Howerton said. "The country - having recently gained its independence from South Africa - chose to make English its official language. They needed the extra manpower to teach."
Like Carrazana, Howerton said her Peace Corps experience was tremendously positive and she said she misses the people she met while in Africa.
"While I didn't have hot water and certain amenities, I didn't live in a mud hut," she said.
Instead, Howerton lived in a youth hostel and was able to adjust to her new living situation. The experience of living in another country was more beneficial than simply being a tourist.
"If you want just a cultural experience, travel," she said. "If you want to have a new world view, the Peace Corps is for you."
For campus early birds, there is a new admissions option. "It is now possible in some cases for seniors that file their applications this fall to find out what country they will be in by winter vacation," Heidi Thoren, public affairs specialist at the San Francisco regional office, said.
Generally, it can take anywhere from three to six months to complete the application process.
Prospective candidates can apply to become a Peace Corps volunteer by visiting the on-campus recruiter at 225 South Hall. Representatives in the office can put applicants in touch with recently returned volunteers to answer questions.
Howerton particularly liked this element of the UCD Peace Corps program. "The office made it a lot easier for me to get involved," she said. "Most campuses don't have this."
Non-UCD students can get further information on Peace Corps and the nearest recruiting office by visiting their website.
-- 10/22/1999
