Peace Corps
The Peace Corps Recruitment Office at Michigan State University is dedicated to communicating the goals and objectives of the United States Peace Corps to the MSU community. We work to encourage interest in the Peace Corps and improve potential applicants' qualifications and competitiveness. We also make continual efforts toward Peace Corps' Third Goal, that of sharing the culture of our host countries with Americans, in coordination with the Returned Peace Corps Volunteer community in Greater Lansing.
About
About the Peace Corps
As the preeminent international service organization of the United States, the Peace Corps sends Americans abroad to tackle the most pressing needs of people around the world. Peace Corps Volunteers work at the grassroots level toward sustainable change that lives on long after their service—at the same time becoming global citizens and serving their country. When they return home, Volunteers bring their knowledge and experiences—and a global outlook—that enriches the lives of those around them.
The Peace Corps was established in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy. In the 60+ years since its founding, over 241,000 Americans have served in 143 countries.
Over 7,300 volunteers were serving in 61 nations in the fall of 2019, before COVID-19. All volunteer operations were suspended in March 2020 in response to the pandemic, but the Peace Corps is returning to positions all over the world. As of fall 2024, new volunteers have begun their service in some 60 countries, including two new Peace Corps host countries, Vietnam and Palau.
Peace Corps' Mission
To promote world peace and friendship by fulfilling three goals:
- To help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained individuals
- To help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served
- To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans
Peace Corps Sectors
Peace Corps volunteers currently serve in the following sectors. These varied program areas allow applicants with diverse skill sets to find meaningful positions.
- Education
- Health
- Environment
- Agriculture
- Youth in Development
- Community Economic Development
MSU Peace Corps
The State News highlighted Peace Corps in this June 2024 article: MSU's Peace Corps team talk volunteering, exploring culture.
MSU hosted a delegation of six Peace Corps staffers, including the Deputy Director, for a campus visit in April 2024, and was once again named as one of the nation's top volunteer-producing institutions in the 2024 listing.
MSU is ranked No. 6 by the Peace Corps on its list of the top 25 volunteer-producing colleges and universities during the past 20 years.
MSU is one of only two universities in Michigan with a Peace Corps recruiting office right on campus.
MSU was among Peace Corps' 2019 top volunteer-producing schools. After pandemic-related disruptions to service worldwide, the Peace Corps is once again sending cohorts to an ever-growing number of countries.
November 23, 2019 Interview with MSU's student radio station: Spartans Rebuilding MI & MSU Peace Corps, 89FM the Impact
Download a flyer about MSU's Peace Corps Recruitment Office to learn more or share with advisees, students, peers, and friends!
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is the Peace Corps?
I’ve heard about the Peace Corps, but what exactly is it?
Established by President John F. Kennedy in 1961, the Peace Corps is a volunteer program run by the US government, in which US citizens work in developing countries for a period of two years. Over 240,000 Americans have served in more than 140 countries since the Peace Corps was founded.
The mission of the Peace Corps is to promote world peace and friendship by fulfilling three goals:
- To help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained personnel;
- To help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served; and
- To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.
You can learn more about the Peace Corps and its history on the agency's website.
What do Peace Corps Volunteers do?
Host countries invite the Peace Corps to work in their communities, providing trained personnel to assist with local needs related to a variety of fields. Peace Corps Volunteers currently work in six sectors:
- Agriculture
- Agriculture Volunteers work with small-scale farmers and families to increase food security and production and adapt to climate change while promoting environmental conservation.
- Community Economic Development
- Volunteers work with development banks, nongovernmental organizations, and municipalities to encourage economic opportunities in communities. They frequently teach in classroom settings and work with entrepreneurs and business owners to develop and market their products.
- Education
- Education is the Peace Corps’ largest program area. Volunteers play an important role in creating links among schools, parents, and communities. They may work in elementary, secondary, or post secondary schools, teaching subjects such as math, science, or conversational English; or as resource teachers or teacher trainers. Volunteers also develop libraries and technology resource centers.
- Environment
- Volunteers lead grassroots efforts to protect the environment and strengthen understanding of environmental issues. They teach environmental awareness in schools and to local organizations, empowering communities to make their own decisions about how to conserve the local environment.
- Health
- Health Volunteers work within their communities to promote important topics such as nutrition, maternal and child health, basic hygiene, and water sanitation. Volunteers also work in HIV/AIDS education and prevention programs.
- Youth in Development
- Volunteers work with youth in communities to promote engagement and active citizenship, including gender awareness, employability, health and HIV/AIDS education, environmental awareness, sports and fitness programs, and information technology.
You can learn more about what Volunteers do on the Peace Corps website.
Where do Peace Corps Volunteers serve?
Prior to the pandemic, Peace Corps Volunteers were working in over 60 countries. Over 7,300 Volunteers worldwide were recalled to the United States in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Peace Corps has resumed service in most of these countries, with volunteers currently serving in over 55 countries worldwide in six sectors: Agriculture, Environment, Youth Development, Education, Community Economic Development, and Health.
You can learn more about the world regions and countries with Peace Corps programs here.
With so many countries to choose from, how should I choose which volunteer opportunity to apply to?
Choosing a posting is a big decision, and everyone has their own reason for service.
Peace Corps service provides much professional and linguistic training, but to be a competitive applicants should have some familiarity with the technical, cultural, and linguistic knowledge needed in their country of service. Choose openings in sectors that closely represent the experiences and knowledge you have during the time of application.
If you are interested in a region or sector that is outside of your expertise, you can gain more experience through courses, extracurricular activities, language tutoring, and (for undergraduates) MSU's Peace Corps Prep certificate program. To learn more about ways to make your application more competitive, contact your nearest Peace Corps Recruiter.
What are the benefits of Peace Corps service?
Tangible benefits:
- International travel to and from your host country
- Living expenses while serving
- Medical and dental covered while serving
- Generous readjustment allowance to help you transition back to life in the US after service
- Some student loans may be deferable or even eligible for partial cancellation
- Graduate school opportunities after service
- One year of Non-Competitive Eligibility for federal jobs after service
- Learn more about specific benefits on the Peace Corps website.
Intangible benefits:
- Lifelong friendships among host community members and fellow Volunteers
- Intercultural awareness and ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds
- Language proficiency, which makes you a more competitive job candidate
- Connections to the vibrant network of tens of thousands of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
You can learn more about the benefits of service on the Peace Corps website.
Other common questions and answers...
What happens if I get sick or there’s a natural disaster in my host country?
Peace Corps assignments can be physically and mentally demanding. For that reason, volunteers are provided full medical and dental coverage. Peace Corps Medical officers specific to the administration in your service country, are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to assist volunteers in their medical needs.
Safety and Security officers are also available 24/7 to take your call and assist through emergencies. There are strategic safety plans in place for all Peace Corps countries and even for specific regions within the country. In the case of natural disasters, volunteers will be alerted and updated in a timely fashion with instructions from their corresponding safety and security team.
Volunteers may also experience unwanted attention and harassment and are trained thoroughly to mitigate and respond to threats to their safety. Peace Corps maintains collaborative relationships with US. Embassies and government officials to address safety and security concerns when they arise.
Learn more about health and safety in the Peace Corps.
Can I serve in the Peace Corps with my significant other?
Yes! Couples are welcome in the Peace Corps. The Peace Corps accepts married and unmarried couples in committed domestic partnerships. Couples who have been in a committed relationship for at least a year before they begin service are better able to adapt to the challenges of the Peace Corps. Unmarried couples seeking to serve as a couple must attest via an affidavit to their committed domestic partner relationship as part of their applications.
Couples are accepted in Peace Corps service programs. However, placement options and application time may vary for each. To place a couple, Peace Corps must first identify specific communities that can accommodate couples with adequate work to support two Volunteers, then match that couple with communities that have requested their skill combination. For these reasons, it is more difficult to find assignments and placement generally takes longer for couples than for individuals.
Couples should search for openings in the same country that match both of their skill sets and that accept couples. Couples need to submit individual applications and, in the application, indicate that they are applying to serve with their spouse/domestic partner. Couples should submit their applications at the same time.
Is it possible to apply to graduate school and/or to take the GRE while in the Peace Corps?
You may take up to three days of administrative leave in order to take professional or academic examinations (e.g., LSAT, GRE, Foreign Service Exam). During that time, you will continue to receive your living allowance and accrue your other benefits of service.
Your Completion of Service (COS) date may be advanced to a date that is more than 21 months (instead of the typical 24 months) after your oath date, provided that you will have completed your primary and secondary responsibilities before the proposed new COS date and that host country officials concur. This option may allow you to COS a few weeks earlier, for example to begin graduate school. Determinations are made on a case-by-case basis and require approval.
Events
Upcoming Events
Learn more about possible service in the Peace Corps at one of our upcoming information sessions or visit us at a virtual or in-person fair. All times are Eastern Time.
- MSU DEI & Belonging Career Fair
- Thursday, October 10, 2024
- 3:00-9:00pm
- Breslin Center
- Peace Corps Prep Program & Peace Corps Recruiting Information Session
- Tuesday, October 15, 2024
- 5:30-7:00pm
- International Center, Room 303
- Learn all about Peace Corps service and MSU's Peace Corps Prep certificate!
- Peace Corps Pizza & Posters
- Tuesday, October 15, 2024
- 7:00-8:00pm
- International Center, Room 303
- Help make posters for the Homecoming Parade! Free pizza!
- MSU Careers in Business: All Majors In-Person Fair
- Wednesday, October 16, 2024
- 4:00-7:00pm
- Breslin Center
- Peace Corps in the MSU Homecoming Parade
- Friday, October 18, 2024
- 5:00-8:00pm
- East Lansing Hannah Community Center for parade staging
- RSVP at link above!
- MSU Non-Profit and Government Career Fair
- Thursday, November 7, 2024
- 3:00-6:00pm
- MSU Union
- Peace Corps Coffee & Conversation
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- Friday, November 22, 2024
- 10:00-11:30am open house
- International Center, Room 204
- Drop in to chat with fellow students and Returned Volunteers!
- Peace Corps Application Workshop
- Tuesday, December 10, 2024
- 5:30-7:00pm
- International Center, Room 201
- Prepare for the January 1 Peace Corps deadline!
- We'll be adding more events throughout the academic year and hope to see you soon! In the meantime, connect with us via email for any questions or to set up an appointment.
- Can we visit your class, club, or RSO? We would love to give a brief overview of the opportunities available for Peace Corps service. We can tailor the presentation to your group, the time you can spare (from a few minutes to a longer session), and your location (virtual or in-person). Contact us via email to set up a time!
Recent Events
Sorry We Missed You!
The Peace Corps Recruitment Office attends numerous events throughout the year. Here are just some of them—we hope to see you at one of these the next time it rolls around!
- Global Learning Expo
- Wednesday, October 2, 2024
- MSU Agriculture & Food Industry Fair
- Tuesday, September 24, 2024
- Peace Corps Application Workshop
- Tuesday, September 17, 2024
- Sparticipation
- Sunday, August 25, 2024
- Peace Corps Potluck in the Park
- Thursday, July 11, 2024
- Peace Corps at Lansing Pride
- Saturday, June 22, 2024
- Peace Corps Application Workshop
- Wednesday, June 12, 2024
- Peace Corps Spring Reception & Peace Corps Prep Graduation
- Tuesday, April 16, 2024
- MSU Spring All Majors Career and Internship Fair
- Tuesday, March 19, 2024
- Peace Corps Prep Program & Peace Corps Recruiting Information Session
- Thursday, March 14, 2024
- Peace Corps Application Workshop
- Tuesday, March 12, 2024
- MSU Teacher and Administrator Fair
- Monday, March 11, 2024
- MSU Social Work Career Fair
- Thursday, March 7, 2024
- MSU In-Person Environmental, Energy, Natural Resources, and Sustainability
- February 15, 2024
- MSU In-Person Geography Career Fair
- February 9, 2024
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Career Fair and Symposium
- February 7, 2024
- Peace Corps Application Workshop
- December 5, 2023
- Peace Corps Pizza Party
- November 30, 2023
- Peace Corps Prep & Peace Corps Recruiting Information Session
- November 13, 2023
- Peace Corps Exhibit at Global Festival
- November 11, 2023
- James Madison College Education Abroad Fair
- November 10, 2023
- Panel Discussion: Serving as a Volunteer with a Disability
- October 19, 2023
- MSU Non-Profit Career Mixer
- October 12, 2023
- MSU Science and Health Mixer
- October 11, 2023
- Education Abroad Expo
- October 5, 2023
- MSU In-Person Ag and Food Industry Fair
- September 26, 2023
- Peace Corps in the MSU Homecoming Parade
- September 22, 2023
Be Competitive
Looking for ways to help your application stand out? Peace Corps looks for certain qualities in prospective Volunteers. Paralleling the four competencies required for the Peace Corps Prep program, here are some ways you can add to your skill set.
Work & Volunteer Experience
Leveraging concrete knowledge and skills is central to on-the-ground international development work. Building a professional specialty through paid and/or volunteer work can make you a stronger candidate.
- Look for volunteer opportunities related to the sector that interests you. For example, those hoping to work in the Education sector might consider tutoring at MSU's Volunteer English Tutoring Program or at the Refugee Development Center. Students interested in the Agriculture or Environment sectors could look into the Residential Initiative on the Study of the Environment (RISE) program, MSU's Student Organic Farm, or the Allen Neighborhood Center.
- When seeking employment, whether during the academic year or over the summer, consider jobs that bring you into contact with diverse populations. For example, MSU's Office for International Students and Scholars often needs MSU students to help welcome international students to campus. The Visiting International Professional Program runs several summer initiatives and often seeks MSU student assistants. The Office of Cultural and Academic Transitions runs a number of programs that may be of interest. Internships with multinational corporations or international nonprofit groups would also be beneficial.
Foreign Language Experience
Being successful in cross-cultural contexts often requires knowledge of spoken languages different from your own first language. While some level of French and Spanish proficiency is required for some Peace Corps placements, any language training can be helping in making you more competitive.
- Explore courses through MSU's Department of Romance and Classical Studies and Department of Linguistics, Languages, and Cultures.
- Consider an education abroad experience that will allow you to practice a language other than English. MSU's Office for Education Abroad offers hundreds of opportunities, from just a few weeks to academic years.
- Scholarships are available for those pursuing in-depth language study. Look into the Boren Awards, Critical Language Scholarship, and Foreign Language and Areas Studies funding. Many internationally-focused scholarships are listed on this page of opportunities from International Studies and Programs.
Intercultural Experience
Engaging thoughtfully and fluidly across cultures begins with one's own self-awareness. Applicants can strengthen their prospects by demonstrating a willingness to engage with those from varied backgrounds and in introspection as it relates to your own awareness.
- Consider taking introductory courses in Anthropology, Intercultural Communication, Global Studies in the Arts and Humanities, Sociology, etc.
- Look into minors in areas such as area studies (e.g., African Studies, Chicano/Latino Studies), broader topics (e.g., International Development, Peace and Justice Studies, Youth and Society).
- As with improving language skills, Education Abroad experiences can greatly strengthen your intercultural competence.
Professional Development
Peace Corps is highly selective and seeks candidates with strong professional and leadership skills.
- The MSU Peace Corps Recruitment Office can provide resources on tailoring your resume for a Peace Corps application, advice on the application process, and information on preparing for a Peace Corps interview.
Peace Corps Prep
Peace Corps Prep Program
In addition to having a recruiting office on campus, MSU also offers Peace Corps Prep, a certificate program for undergraduates that centers on one empowering question: How can you prepare yourself to be the best Peace Corps Volunteer you can be?
There is no one right answer to that question, but the Peace Corps has identified four core competencies that are critical to the intercultural fieldwork Peace Corps Volunteers do:
- Sector-specific skills
- Foreign language proficiency
- Intercultural competence
- Professional savvy and leadership
MSU's Peace Corps Prep program empowers you to build these four competencies, integrating coursework with hands-on experience and professional development. Upon completion of the program, you will receive a certificate from the Peace Corps—and a competitive edge when applying for potential Peace Corps service.
- Download a flyer about MSU's Peace Corps Prep program to share with advisees, students, or friends!
- Read a news article about the new Peace Corps Prep program (October 13, 2021)
Learn more on the MSU Peace Corps Prep website >
Contact
Contact
If you're interested in learning more about the benefits of serving in the Peace Corps, discovering how the application process works, receiving feedback on your application, or joining the RPCV community, contact us! We look forward to hearing from you.
Potential Applicants: Interest Survey
Please complete this quick interest survey to get in touch with a campus recruiter!
RPCVs: Join Our Database, Follow Us On Socials
We are revamping our RPCV database to update contact information and improve local RPCV networking. Returned Volunteers, please complete this short questionnaire to be added to our database!
Facebook users can follow the RPCVs Greater Lansing, MI page to keep up with local events, and we are also newly on Instagram and would love a follow!
MSU Peace Corps Main Contact
Use this email address for all program-related questions, and your inquiry will be routed to the most appropriate person.
MSU Peace Corps Recruitment Office
International Center, Room 201A
Fall Semester 2024 Office Hours:
- Tuesdays 1:30-3:30pm
- Wednesdays 1:00-3:00pm
- And by appointment — email
Current Recruiters:
- Cindy Fiser (RPCV Malawi, 2018-2020)
- Shannon Harasta (RPCV Nepal, 2019-2020)
MSU Peace Corps Prep Program Coordinator
Joy Campbell (RPCV Morocco, 1998-2000)
• +1-517-884-2167
International Center, Room 216
Meetings: Schedule appointment via Calendly
Peace Corps (National)
The Peace Corps website contains comprehensive information about service, open positions, benefits, and how to apply.
Current recruiters Shannon and Cindy at Sparticipation 2024