September 15, 2010 – Peace Corps Worldwide

Workshop On How To Write Your Peace Corps Essay

Sep 15 2010

You’ve got to love this! The UW-Madison Writing Center (which, by the way, is very good!) has introduced a new and short (non-credit of course) workshop for those of you with ‘special needs,’i.e., writing your Fulbright application essay, your APA documentation, and also “writing Peace Corps application essays.” I’m all for such workshops, and I won’t mind taking it myself, but when it comes to getting into the Peace Corps, it ain’t the essay that counts: it is the experience and skills of the Applicant. (Of course, getting into the Peace Corps should be based on one’s writing skills, but I’m not running the agency.) However, whether you join the Peace Corps or not, if you are in Madison, Wisconsin, do yourself a favor and take the workshop. You’ll be a better writer and a better person for it. The Writing Center is run by Brad Hughes. And he’s a good . . .

I'll Tell You What's Wrong With The Peace Corps

Sep 15 2010

Since Aaron Williams (Dominican Republic 1967-70) took over the Peace Corps on August 24, 2009–over a year ago–the agency has had no Communications Director or Congressional Liaison Director. (And the names, I’m told, now being considered for the congressional position aren’t worth while writing home about.) These positions are, after the director and deputy, the two most important ones at the agency. Suzie Carroll, the present Acting Congressional Liason, is a Republican hanger-on. A nice woman (not an RPCV, of course), who is considered weak and ineffective by congressional aides on the Hill. Allison Price, another non-PCV, another political appointment, is a nice young woman who is sadly not up to the job in the press office. She is unable to market the agency. She is unable to get the director on radio or television on in the press. You want to know why people say: is there still a Peace Corps? You tell them, “Allison Price is working on it!” The former Peace Corps . . .

Archive - September 15, 2010