Peace Corps begin spring recruitment

The Peace Corps will make a special visit to campus this week for service week.

Laura Fonseca, regional recruiter for Kentucky and southern Indiana, said the Peace Corps is “a federal agency that sends paid volunteers to areas of high need.”

“We work in a variety of these areas and provide much needed assistance,” Fonseca said. “We share American culture with the areas abroad and bring the cultures from abroad back home to the United States.”

The first event on campus was Monday, a service discussion where Peace Corps representatives discussed what qualities make a great Peace Corps volunteer.

A panel in which students can interact and ask questions to a group of representatives followed the discussion.

Students can visit the Peace Corps booth today at the Career Fair in Willkie Auditorium and talk to the representatives personally about starting a career and the application process.

Thursday evening, the Peace Corps will have an information session to teach more about the Peace Corps volunteer’s specific job description. The session will also include information and tips about how to apply.

To finish up the week, students can meet one-on-one with a Peace Corps representative Friday during the on-campus office hours that will be 9-11 a.m. in the Career Development Center.

IU currently ranks No. 27 among all large universities in number of alumni serving in the Peace Corps, said Jessica Mayle, Chicago’s regional office’s public affairs coordinator.

Since the agency was created in 1961, 1,549 IU alumni have served in the Peace Corps. With 51 IU students currently serving abroad, the school is the No. 13 all-time producer of volunteers, she said.

Those interested in applying for the Peace Corps can begin by applying online at peacecorps.gov. The entire application process generally takes between nine and 12 months, Fonseca said.

“What we’re trying to make sure is the applicant has an understanding of the core values of the Peace Corps and that we’re matching them with their best fit,” Fonseca said.

The Peace Corps looks for the most dedicated applicants to join, Fonseca said.

“It’s important for people to know that if giving back and international development is at all something that you are interested in, coming out to an information session is a great start,” Fonseca said. “While the Peace Corps is looking for a certain type of individual, even if you are not sure, come out and find out as much as you can. It is an opportunity of a lifetime. So come and find out if this is a good match for you.”

A complete list of the events and descriptions can be found at peacecorps.gov/meet/events/?state=16&keyword_search=Bloomington.