The Peace Corps “Peace Car” visited Duke yesterday as part of its journey to recruit students from around the country.
One of four recruitment vehicles traveling around the nation from the Peace Corps’ headquarters in Washington, D.C., the tan smart car sporting the Peace Corps logo made a pit stop outside Cameron Indoor Stadium Wednesday evening. The stops enable the Peace Corps to increase their social media presence and raise awareness about the opportunities they provide.
“We’ve changed the recruitment process and are trying to amplify recognition [of the Peace Corps]” said Kelly McCormack Monterroso, a spokesperson for the Peace Corps. “It’s a great opportunity to get outside of your comfort zone and make a difference.”
Monterroso, along with another spokesperson, will stop at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University before arriving in Atlanta on Friday. The idea of working for the Peace Corps was immediately appealing to her, said Monterroso, who has served for almost five years as a volunteer in Guatemala.
“I was sold on it,” she said. “To see the world, learn a language, make a difference overseas.”
The average Duke student, she added, has the same sort of mindset as many Peace Corps workers.
“The combination is right,” she said. “They have a great drive and curiosity.”
David Jarmul, associate vice president for Duke news and communications, added that the University has traditionally shown much support and enthusiasm for the Peace Corps. Several hundred alumni have served in the program, he said.
Both the Fuqua School of Business and the Sanford School of Public Policy offer the Paul D. Coverdell Fellows program, which provides scholarships to students serving as Peace Corps volunteers. These volunteers must participate in significant service projects in the Durham community after they return from work abroad.
“It’s the way Duke maintains a great relationship with the Peace Corps,” Jarmul said.
Matthew Borden, a graduate student in the Sanford School of Public Policy, is currently studying international developmental policy and served as an English teacher in Indonesia while working for the Peace Corps.
“It was my first major experience in the developing world,” Borden said. “It’s so important to get a first-hand experience.”
He added that his favorite part was meeting so many people from different walks of life.
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