1. International
Service
Helping communities
Sharing Knowledge

2. The Peace Corps Mission: To promote world peace and friendship
Three Goals:
To help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
To help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.

3. What is Peace Corps Prep?

4. Coursework + Experience + Professional Development
It’s a certificate program for undergraduates that centers on one empowering question: How can you prepare yourself to be the best Peace Corps Volunteer you can be?
-established in 1961 – since then has served 140 host countries
-Volunteers live and work alongside the people they serve
-Examples are climate change, pandemic disease, food security, gender equality
-Almost 220,000 current and past volunteers have changed lives – both their own and people in communities around the world

5. A framework to build four competencies
Training
&
Experience
Foreign
Language
Skills
Intercultural
Competence
Professional
&
Leadership
Development

6. Training & Experience Choose a sector to focus on
 Education  Environment
 Health  Youth In Development
Community Economic Development
Agriculture
Take 3 courses
Complete 50 hours of related experience
Appropriate activities: internship, volunteer work, related research projects, work experience, study abroad

7. Foreign Language Skills
Where would you like to serve?
 Latin America
TWO 200-level SPAN courses
 West Africa
ONE 200-level FREN course
 Everywhere Else
No explicit language requirement

8. Intercultural Competence
Deepen Your Intercultural Perspectives
 Choose one core course
 Choose two electives
Examples:
ANTH 331 Refugees
COMM 305 Intercultural Communication
GOVT 445 Human Rights
Study abroad course

9. Professional & Leadership Development
 Meet with University Career Services Complete two activities:  Resume critique  Interviewing workshop or practice interview  Internship search meeting  Complete a one-semester leadership experience
Intl development is a professional sector – career services will help prepare you
-examples: officer in a student org, peer leader or advisor, patriot leader, any type of mentor role like teaching asst, resident advisor, advisory board member, work supervisor role like shift manager or team lead

10. Completion = Certificate

11. Example: Zoe Siepert, GLOA
SECTOR: Education
-BIOL 103
-BIOL 104
-MATH 106
Experience: CHSS mentor
FL: ARAB 110 & 210
IC: GOVT 445, GOVT 446, GEOG 325
UCS: Practice Int & Resume feedback
Leadership: Gamma Phi Beta Prez
Secondary English Teacher
in Comoros

12. Example: Sam Gallerano, Env Sci
SECTOR: Environment
-EVPP 361
-BIOL 308
-EVPP 378
Experience: Organic farming with a nonprofit in France
FL: FREN 110 & 210
IC: ANTH 114, INTS 416,
GGS 304
UCS: Practice Int & Resume feedback
Leadership: Exec Council for Club Sports at Mason
Food Extension Agent
in Benin

13. Sector Placements 42% EDUCATION 20% HEALTH 12% YOUTH IN DEVELOPMENT
9% AGRICULTURE
7% COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
7% ENVIRONMENT
3% SHORT TERM RESPONSE PROGRAMS

14. Resources Mason’s Peace Corps Recruiter: Breanna Wright
Check out:
Mason Career Fairs
youtube.com/peacecorps

15. Ready to Make a Difference? masonpeacecorps.gmu.edu