The state of Missouri joins five other institutions of Missouri as a Peace Corps Prepare the partner school.
Since 1961, the Peace Corps has sent dedicated volunteers to more than 140 countries around the world.
Students at Missouri State University are one step closer to joining the effort with a new Peace Corps Preparation Program, sponsored by the Center for Community Participation (CCE).
Preparing students to become global
As an institution affiliated with the Peace Corps, the state of Missouri can suggest a curriculum and provide guidance to students preparing to provide international services.
The Peace Corps preparation program integrates four key objectives in the courses and service learning:
- Training and experience in a labor sector
- Foreign language skills
- Intercultural competence
- Professional development and leadership
One of the 27
In the fall of 2018, MSU was one of the 27 invited institutions throughout the country to apply to present a preparation program. The university became an associated school in February 2019.
"His proposal was thoughtful and solid, and represented a collaboration that we believe will benefit his institution, our agency and, most importantly, his students," read the Peace Corps acceptance letter.
The proposal process began long before the invitation to submit the application. Dr. George Connor and Dr. Ashley Leinweber, both faculties of political science, approached the CCE with the objective of writing a proposal. Leinweber is a returned volunteer of the Peace Corps.
"They wanted to make the Peace Corps as accessible as possible to the MSU students, and ideally, to house it in a central location," said Alex Johnson, director of community learning at MSU. "The CCE took the opportunity to host and coordinate a service-oriented career path for students."
Do you want to join? Here is how.
Follow the online application process to join the preparation program.
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