Peace Corps Worldwide

Quote of the Week “I recommend that we remember the beginning of the Peace Corps. We risked everything at our beginning in a leap of faith that the Peace Corps would succeed.  … We were a Corps, a band of brothers and sisters united in the conviction that if we worked hard enough to eradicate our fears, and increase the outreach of our love, we truly could avoid war, and achieve peace within our own selves, within our nation, and around the world.” Sargent Shriver | Washington, DC | September 22, 2001 Our Quote of the Week honors two milestones we’re celebrating this month: the anniversary of Sargent Shriver’s tenure with the Peace Corps, and the birthday William “Bill” Josephson, our senior advisor and a close friend and colleague of Sargent Shriver’s. On March 22, 1961, President Kennedy appointed Sargent Shriver to the post of Director of the Peace Corps. At the time, . . .

  I’m updating the list of Peace Corps Writers (This list below is from 2015). Have you published MORE THAN ONE BOOK? Are you a fulltime or part-time writer? Send me your name, Peace Corps and years, and/or drop a note in “Comments”.  I’m trying to keep up with all the great Peace Corps Writers who have recently published books of short stories, poetry, novels, memoirs or nonfiction! Many thanks. p.s. If I have ‘missed’ someone please let me know. D. Allman (Nepal 1966-68 Lauri Anderson (Nigeria 1963-65) Ron Arias (Peru 1963-64) Jim Averbeck (Cameroon 1990-94) Bill Barich (Nigeria 1964-66) Donald Beil (Somalia 1964-66) Tom Bissell (Uzbekistan 1996) Mary Blocksma (Nigeria 1965-67) Mark Brazaitis (Guatemala 1991-93) Craig Carozzi (Colombia 1978-80) Suzy McKee Charnas (Nigeria 1961-63) Thurston Clarke (Tunisia 196) Harlan Coben (PC/W 1982-84) Christopher Conlon (Botswana 1988-90) Kathleen Coskran (Ethiopia 1965-67) Paul Cowan (Ecuador 1966-67) John Coyne (Ethiopia 1962-64) Timothy Crouse . . .

Thank you to Alan Toth who posted this link on his Facebook page. Alan Toth is a RPCV and a documentary film producer: http://www.alantoth.net/about Walker Marsh is a serving Peace Corps Volunteer and wrote this article about a cyclone which hit Mozambique on March 15th. Walker Marsh Reports From Mozambique: We Need Urgent Help!    

Mark Jacobs (Paraguay 1978-80) Mark was the winner of the 1998 Peace Corps Writers Maria Thomas Award for his novel Stone Cowboy. A former Foreign Service officer, he has published more than 100 stories in magazines including The Atlantic, The Southern Humanities Review, The Idaho Review, The Southern Review, and The Kenyon Review. His story “How Birds Communicate” won the Iowa Review Fiction Prize in 1998. His five books include three novels and two collections of short stories. His website can be found at http://www.markjacobsauthor.com. Click here and read: Bear’s Change “The Hudson Review is rare in having remained a forum for intelligent, well-written criticism and cultural commentary on a broad spectrum of topics. In fact it belongs to a tiny handful of magazines where the first criterion of inclusion is literary merit.” — The Wall Street Journal Founded in 1948, The Hudson Review is a quarterly magazine of literature and the arts published in New York City. Frederick Morgan, one of . . .

    President Trump Recommends $14 Million Funding Cut for Peace Corps For the third consecutive year, President Trump is recommending a reduction in funding for the Peace Corps. The president’s request of $396 million for the agency in Fiscal Year 2020 would represent a slightly more than three percent cut in funding ($14 million). The proposed reduction is part of a much larger 24 percent cut to the nation’s International Affairs Budget.Read more and see Service Year Alliance statement response to the Trump Administration’s proposal to eliminate national service in the FY20 budget.  

If you call or email Glenn Blumhorst, NPCA President This is the message you get: “Greetings from El Paso! I’m on a volunteer vacation at Annunciation House March 19-29, with limited internet access. I’ll respond as soon as I can.” Short-Term Volunteers for Emergency Hospitality Posted on March 18, 2019 Beginning in summer 2018, we have seen an increase in the flow of refugees arriving at the El Paso border. As ICE detention facilities filled, the number of refugees being released by ICE increased.  As of the end of February 2019, 400-700+ refugees per day are being sent to Annunciation House. We are urgently seeking additional short-term volunteers to help us provide hospitality to these refugees. For more information, please read this document (PDF). Glenn Blumhorst (Guatemala 1988-91) continues to serve. He’s an example for all of us.  

    Peace Corps Press Release The Peace Corps announces 2019 top Volunteer-producing schools 03/20/2019 The University of Wisconsin-Madison boasts the No. 1 spot for large schools on Peace Corps’ Top Volunteer-Producing Colleges and Universities list, with 75 volunteers serving around the world. For the third consecutive year, Wisconsin holds the coveted top spot, but Badgers beware: the University of Virginia Cavaliers are closing the gap, jumping from No. 15 to No. 2 in just two years.With 74 UVA alumni serving as Peace Corps Volunteers, the school slides into a close second place on this year’s rankings. The University of California – Berkeley comes in at No. 11 on the large school list, but has sent over 3,500 alumni to Peace Corps service since 1961, more than any other school. Meanwhile, Arizona State University and The University of Arizona continue to duke it out in the desert. Currently 44 Sun . . .