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IR/PS Peace Corps Volunteer Profiles

IR/PS celebrates its former and current Peace Corps volunteers who have embraced the ideals of service.

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<strong>Amy Cortina '12, Costa Rica, 2005-07</strong>: Before I joined I wanted to be an international journalist to bring awareness of issues abroad to U.S. citizens in hopes of inspiring change. Now, I want to be involved in that change. I felt so empowered to create solutions to global problems when I worked with people of a rural Costa Rican community for two years to plan, fund and build a health clinic. The most inspiring part was seeing what people could do given the right tools. These people taught me that I am a global citizen and what I do affects those abroad. <strong>Athalia Markowitz '09, Guatemala, 2009-11</strong>: As a Municipal Development Volunteer in Pachalum, Guatemala, I worked with a group of women on a daily basis – teaching subjects ranging from development and women’s rights to starting a small business. While I have been able to see some positive changes through my efforts such as seeing a committee of women organizing to have their voices heard at the local level, the largest effect of my service has been internal. Living and working in Guatemala, I have a newfound appreciation for the importance of family, patience, and sharing whatever we have for the benefit of the community. <strong>Claudia Calderon '10, Paraquay, 2006-08</strong>: In Paraguay, my duties ranged from increasing transparency in a banana co-op to health promotion and teaching English, computers, and photography. My two years were a growing experience as I was constantly challenged to adapt to a unique work environment and create friendships while immersing myself in a different culture. I witnessed first-hand the opportunities of international development, while simultaneously understanding the challenges in the field. I left Paraguay appreciating the opportunities I have had growing up in the U.S. It also solidified my passion to work in international development, which led me to IR/PS. <strong>Connie Chan '12, Costa Rica, 2007-09</strong>: As a rural community development volunteer, I focused on organizational development, economic opportunity, and education. My most rewarding experiences included building a playground, forming a boys & girls scouts group, and installing septic tanks. I experienced the impact that building relationships and strengthening social networks has on community building and how this has continued to shape my own life. <strong>Heather Lane ‘01, South Africa, 2005-07</strong>: I was placed in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal to develop the organizational capacity of community-based organizations to strengthen their ability to address the AIDS pandemic in South Africa. I conducted trainings and workshops in and around KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and Mozambique on strategic planning, grant writing, media messaging, financial planning, monitoring and evaluation and budgeting. As a side project, I worked as a consultant to other volunteers and their organizations throughout South Africa. I lived with a Northern Sotho family in Northern Province for three months and learned Tsi-Pedi and Isi-Zulu, and also with an Indian family in Durban for two years. <strong>Jeffrey Albanese '10, Bolivia, 2006-08</strong>: Bolivia, for me, was one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life. I will always remember the amazing people, both Bolivian and American, who made those two years truly special. Peace Corps helped me grow both personally and professionally. One of my favorite things was learning a foreign language because it unlocked an entirely different culture. And, working side by side everyday with Bolivians, designing and implementing agricultural projects, from fish farms to tomato sauce operations, taught me so much. Here’s to 50 years! <strong>Jenna Houts '08, Paraquay, 2009-11</strong>: Peace Corps is a roller coaster ride of emotion, the ultimate adventure, an experiment in isolation and loneliness, and as much an intercultural exchange program as a development agency. And it is the most challenging job I have ever had. Never has a job made me question myself so much yet given me so much strength. Peace Corps has given me the opportunity to implement my own development and cross cultural projects in the field. As someone just starting out in my career, the experience is invaluable. Also, thanks to Peace Corps I have met the man of my dreams, a fellow volunteer! <strong>Jeremy Parker '07, Niger, 2002-03</strong>: My experience was simultaneously one of the most humbling, amazing, terrifying and miserable experiences I have ever had. Without it, I would not be the person I am today. Niger, a truly under-developed nation, taught me what survival is all about. I learned the true meaning of dedication, and what suffering really is. <strong>Joel Hansen '08, Philippines, 2003-05; Uganda, 2008-10</strong>: My stint in the Philippines instilled a passion for Southeast Asia and the field of international development. The experience led to my studies at IR/PS where I sought the skills necessary to broaden my impact beyond the village to the wider international community. To regain a grass-roots perspective I returned to service as a response volunteer in Uganda after graduating. I am now a Foreign Service Officer with the Department of State, where I hope to bring the lessons of the village into the field of diplomacy. <strong>John Wheeler '12, China</strong>: I was lucky enough to be placed in a teacher’s college in a small city in the mountains of Southeast Guizhou, a region rich in ethnic minorities. Most of my students came from small villages and had never had contact with foreigners or people from outside their region. Through English lessons I was able to teach about cultural diversity, AIDS, the environment, and other important topics. Many Americans have very little understanding of China as a country, and the Peace Corps experience inspired me to facilitate a more meaningful East-West dialogue. <strong>Kristine Holley '10, Dominican Republic, 2005-07</strong>: My experience changed my views on the world around me. I knew I was going there to facilitate projects in a developing community, but I didn’t expect the effect that the country, people and community would have on me personally. Peace Corps gave me the opportunity to live in another country and the people there inspired me to stay. My experience made me value the privileges that I once took for granted, and supplied me with the tools to make a difference. Peace Corps is what sparked my interest in global development and nonprofit management and has led me down the path that I am still on today. I also married a Dominican! <strong>Lane Ogawa '12, Philippines, 2003-05</strong>: I had the privilege to live in the community of Carigara, Leyte, with my host Filipino family for 22 months. During the days, I taught computer skills and soccer at an elementary school. At night, I watched Filipino dramas like everyone in my community. Through working with the the bright, enthusiastic and curious children of Carigara, I was reminded to treasure family, friends and education. Being in the Peace Corps gave me the chance to make many Filipino friends and set me on a path for a career of service. <strong>Melissa Welp '04, Namibia, 2004-06</strong>: I served as a volunteer in Namibia, Southern Africa working with the Ministry of Education to provide HIV & AIDS Education for 265 schools in that region. My education at IR/PS gave me an excellent foundation from which to build a very successful and meaningful experience. That doesn’t mean it was any easier, but my IR/PS degree allowed me to secure a very challenging, higher level position where I could help create and direct HIV & AIDS programming. It was an amazing experience that provided the practical experience I needed to propel me forward for future opportunities. <strong>Natalie Foxworthy '12, El Salvador, 2007-09</strong>: I loved the work I did as a volunteer in the Rural Health and Sanitation Program. The best part about my experience was being submerged in an entirely new language and culture. People opened their homes and their hearts to me and I found a family in El Salvador. I made strong friendships, exchanged my culture with the community and touched the lives of the people, just as they touched mine. <strong>Neil Mendenhall '04, El Salvador, 1998-2000</strong>: I look back on my experience as one of the best times of my life. Every day I was learning something new – a new word, a new farming technique, how to be a better listener. The people I came to know in El Salvador were some of the most honest and hardworking I’ve ever met. I was moderately successful at accomplishing some milestones and oversaw several soil conservation projects, a reforestation project, and provided numerous classroom and on-the-job trainings on agro-forestry and soil conservation techniques. But I’m sure that I learned a lot more from them than they learned from me. <strong>Preston Sharp '09, Samoa, 2003-05</strong>: A stint in the “heart of Polynesia” while immersed in a rich culture and tribal society was my first adventure in international development. I expected the greatest challenges to be the exotic food, lack of daily amenities, and uncomfortable sleeping conditions (straw mats, cement floors, no walls). But in fact, the most difficult aspect of this adventure was the personal growth that I was forced to undergo as the boundaries of Samoan culture collided with my own. The life lessons I learned as a volunteer have been invaluable to my personal and professional development and I hope they will be the foundation for a life long career. <strong>Savannah Thomas Arrigo '09, Costa Rica, 2005-07</strong>: My work in Costa Rica was a life-changing experience. It not only opened my eyes to the world, but also set me on my current career path. Living and working in a poor, rural village, showed me a side of the world I had never seen before. It sparked my interest in international development after I saw both the positive and negative effects of international aid and development work in Costa Rica. It inspired me to further my education and focus my career on international development in Latin America. <strong>Tenille Beseda '11, El Salvador, 2004-06</strong>: As a Rural Health & Sanitation Volunteer, I experienced the most amazing two years of my life. While I focused initially on projects with the local health promoter, including community garbage cleanups and clean water campaigns, I ultimately found my niche in youth development. By teaching life skills and introducing peer education techniques, youth throughout the region were educated about communication, leadership, and reproductive health. I also partnered with local public and private institutions to conduct an intensive two-day HIV/AIDS awareness campaign that was eventually disseminated throughout the municipality. I met many wonderful people, experienced genuine happiness, found my passion, and accepted the slogan, “The toughest job you’ll ever love.” <strong>Tyler Petersen '11, West Indies, 2005-07</strong>: My time in the in St. Vincent and the Grenadines was an invaluable personal experience. I had the opportunity to work and become friends with amazing people, both within the Peace Corps network and the local residents of the fishing village. My experience also gave me tremendous insight into the value of a professional education in International Affairs. Having worked on complicated and underfunded projects in the third world, I realize the strategic advantage and value of the IR/PS program. The flexibility of the program has given me the opportunity to continue to focus on international development but also expand into other fields. Marian Nguyen ‘13, Peru, 2008-2010 As a Small Business Development volunteer in northern Peru, my primary project focused on developing better business practices for an association of artisan women in rural areas. Together we improved the quality of handmade products, organized the finances of the association, and traveled to numerous artisan fairs to promote small community businesses. The best two years of my life were spent working side-by-side with these Andean women, immersing myself into the culture, and forming lasting friendships within the rural community. The positive experience that I had in the Peace Corps has greatly influenced my decision to seek an advanced degree at UCSD that focuses on International Development. Dennis Mello '13, Vanuatu, 2007-2009: My two years as an education volunteer in a remote, rural village in Vanuatu were the most incredible two years of my life. I spent my working days teaching math to middle school students and working with local teachers to improve their own math and science skills. I spent the rest of my time learning to live in the jungle, cook over an open fire, fish off the reef with bamboo poles, speak Bislama (about 220,000 speakers in the world) and Vureas (about 3,000 speakers), and in general to be much more patient. Like most Peace Corps Volunteers, I feel that I learned more from my village than they learned from me. The Peace Corps gave me an incredible opportunity to work on the design, implementation and evaluation of various development projects; experiences that led me directly to IR/PS.
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