Truman Kicks Off Peace Corps Prep Program

The University’s longstanding affiliation with the Peace Corps is expanding with the addition of the Peace Corps Prep program beginning this fall.

There will be a reception at 7 p.m. Sept. 24 in the Student Union Building HUB to celebrate this new component to the partnership between Truman and the Peace Corps.

Peace Corps Prep offers students a unique combination of undergraduate coursework and community service that prepares them for a career in international development. It will build hands-on experience and leadership skills while students complete courses focused on intercultural competence and foreign language. Truman is one of only about 25 universities nationwide to have a Peace Corps Prep partnership with the agency.

Upon completion of the program, students will receive a signed certificate from the Peace Corps. Those individuals that participate in the Peace Corps Prep program are under no obligation to volunteer for the Peace Corps at any time, but successful completion of the program will make their applications more competitive should they choose to apply.

The Peace Corps sends the best and brightest Americans abroad on behalf of the United States to tackle the most pressing needs of people around the world. Volunteers work at the grassroots level to develop sustainable solutions that address challenges in education, health, economic development, agriculture, the environment and youth development.

Since the Peace Corps was created in 1961, more than 200 Truman graduates have served as volunteers. This year, Truman ranked No. 19 on the Peace Corps annual list of top volunteer-producing mid-sized schools with 14 alumni currently serving as volunteers. The University’s relationship with the agency was a key factor in helping Truman recently secure the ranking of No. 2 Master’s University in the nation, according to the Washington Monthly.

Peace Corps Prep is Truman’s newest partnership with the organization. In 2014, the University’s Office of Graduate Studies began participation in the Master’s International program, which allows students pursing a Master of Arts degree in leadership to complete one year of graduate coursework before beginning Peace Corps assignments. The two-year Peace Corps appointment counts as the required nine-credit internship experience, and tuition is waived during that time.

Anyone interested in learning more about Peace Corps Prep should consider attending the reception, Sept. 24. Helen Lowman, the Peace Corps’ associate director of volunteer recruitment and selection, will be in attendance to help launch Truman’s program.

Further details about the program, and the Peace Corps in general, can be found through the University Career Center in the Student Union Building.

For more information about the Peace Care Prep program, contact Mary Shapiro or visit truman.edu/majors-programs/more-learning-opportunities/peace-corps-prep-program.

Information regarding the Master’s International program can be found by contacting Maria Di Stefano or visiting truman.edu/majors-programs/graduate-studies/masters-in-leadership/masters-international.