Student calls Peace Corps ‘life-changing’

When Brett Kuhnert was a Peace Corps volunteer, he was assigned to a remote area of Morocco with no running water or electricity. But the village did have satellite TV, so he was able to watch “The Jerry Springer Show” in French. Still, Kuhnert said the trip was one of the greatest experiences of his life. \nKuhnert, who is now IU’s Peace Corps campus representative, led a panel Tuesday night to give students more information on volunteering with the organization.\nAt the beginning of the meeting, students watched a video on the Peace Corps, which offered insight into what volunteers experience when they get to their designated locations.\nAccording to a pamphlet distributed at the beginning of the meeting, serving as a Peace Corps volunteer is an experience like no other. In fact, volunteers serve in 75 countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East and Central and South America.\nVolunteers serve for 27 months, spending their first three months in training.\nKuhnert said the basic goal is to provide people in interested countries with volunteers to meet their needs. Volunteers assist the people by using the skills they already have, he said. For example, IU graduate student David Mitchel said his main job was to teach English to villagers in Kyrgyzstan.\n“It changed two things for me personally: my behavior and my entire world,” Mitchel said. \nIU graduate student Rachel Powers, a former Peace Corps volunteer, was sent to Panama to do environmental education work, mostly with children. Her experience helped her decide to continue her education in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs. \n“What I thought I wanted to do right out of college completely changed,” Powers said. “I’m now doing what I want to do.”\nThe Peace Corps is looking for dedicated people to serve, Kuhnert said, and people join for many reasons.\n“Just about everyone is looking for overseas experience,” he said. “Most learn a brand-new language.”\nAnother reason people join the Peace Corps is because they can gain professional skills. For example, Kuhnert said working in another country can increase a person’s appeal to international private businesses.\nSome advantages of joining are that volunteers are given 48 vacation days, they are allowed to defer on student loans and they can have their Perkins loans partially dropped, Kuhnert said. Travel to and from the destinations and free medical and dental care are provided. The organization covers travel expenses to and from destinations, medical and dental care, and a living allowance, he said. In addition, the Peace Corps allows “home leave” for family emergencies. \nAfter they serve as volunteers, the Peace Corps gives its volunteers support, such as a readjustment allowance of more than $6,000. \n“It keeps you from moving back into your parents’ basement,” Kuhnert said.\nIn addition to an allowance, volunteers are given special options for graduate school. For instance, SPEA offers former volunteers six credits toward a degree, as well as reduced tuition.\nThe selection process consists of filling out an application, going through an interview; being nominated into a program; and passing a medical, legal and suitability review. Upon final approval, the Peace Corps Placement Office sends the new volunteer a package that includes information about where he or she will be going.\n“As long as you stick though the entire process, there will be a spot waiting for you,” Kuhnert said.