Archive - December 20, 2012

Mark D. Gearan, President of Hobart and William Smith Colleges in upstate New York and the former Director of the Peace Corps (1995-99), was one of more than 160 presidents to sign an open letter to U.S. policy makers in the wake of last week’s shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown calling for stricter gun laws. The college presidents signed an open letter to U.S. policy makers that was drafted by the leaders of two Georgia schools, Lawrence M. Schall, president of Oglethorpe University, and Elizabeth Kiss, president of Agnes Scott College. The letter calls for: Ensuring the safety of college communities by opposing legislation allowing guns on campuses and in classrooms Ending the gun show loophole, which allows for the purchase of guns from unlicensed sellers without a criminal background check Reinstating the ban on military-style semi-automatic assault weapons along with high-capacity ammunition magazines Requiring consumer safety . . .

One of the first hands to be raised asking to be appointed “The Next Peace Corps Director” is that of Carolyn Long (Gabon 1963-65) who, years ago when I first knew her, worked for TransCentury, a non-profit company started in the mid-sixties by Warren Wiggins, one of the original Mad Men of the agency, and Dick Irish (Philippines 1962–64). Carolyn has had a long career in international work. For many years she was the manager of  InterAction, and today she is listed as Director, Global Partnership on their site, and travels around the world evaluating and advising on NGOs. InterAction is the largest alliance of U.S.-based international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), with more than 190 members working in every developing country.  Members are faith-based and secular, large and small, with a focus on the world’s most poor and vulnerable populations. Carolyn has not been active with the RPCVs in D.C. or involved with the NPCA or the Peace Corps. She . . .