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National Peace Corps Association > News > Polyglot > Recent RPCVs can look to Grad School and Mentoring Opportunities
Recent RPCVs can look to Grad School and Mentoring Opportunities
By Brittany Clark on Thursday, September 2nd, 2010
It can be hard for recently Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) to get back into the swing of things. Readjusting to life at home in the midst of reverse culture shock, while also attempting to make major life decisions (Get a job? Rent an apartment? Go back to school?) can be quite daunting. What’s an RPCV to do? First, resist all thoughts of uncertainty, despair, and crushing panic. Relax and take some direction from two great resources available to you for free: The RPCV Mentoring Program, and a city-hopping fall grad school fair promoted by our partners at Idealist.org.
Who better to lead you through the readjustment process than someone who has walked in your shoes? By filling out a quick questionnaire, you will be linked to an RPCV who will answer your tough questions and relate to you like only another Peace Corps Volunteer can. On the flip side, if you remember well the feeling of coming home from service, and believe you would be a valuable mentor to recent RPCVs, please sign-up here.
Recent RPCVs considering the option of higher education will find further answers and peace of mind by attending one of the Graduate Degree Fairs for the Public Good this fall, sponsored by Idealist.org. Representatives from local, national, and international programs will be present. Many fields will be represented, including Nonprofit Management, Urban Planning, Global and Public Health, Public Interest Law, Public Policy, Social Work, Education, and International Affairs. This is a terrific opportunity to learn firsthand about the admissions processes of various grad schools, and how to make oneself an impressive candidate. For a leg-up in your future endeavors, find a way to one of these cities this fall:
- New York, NY – September 16 – (200 schools will be there)
- Providence, RI – September 20 – (75 schools)
- Boston, MA – September 21 – (180)
- Pittsburgh, PA – September 23 – (50)
- Philadelphia, PA – September 27 – (65)
- Toronto, ON – September 29 – (60)
- Washington, DC – September 30 – (200)
- Minneapolis, MN – October 18 (70)
- Chicago, IL – October 19 (135)
- Ann Arbor, MI – October 20 (75)
- Denver, CO – October 25 (60)
- Seattle, WA – October 27 (80)
- Portland, OR – October 28 (80)
- San Francisco, CA – November 1 (120)
- Los Angeles, CA – November 2 (115)
- Atlanta, GA – November 4 (75)
The fairs will run from 5:00 to 8:00 PM and are all wheelchair-accessible.
Recent RPCVs, reach out online and attend a fair with other RPCVs in your area! Future mentors, attend one of these fairs and gather useful information to help recent RPCVs. Exciting opportunities such as these are the perfect way for RPCVs to find their direction again, and move on to achieving their “third goal.”
For more details about the grad school fairs, click here.
Addendum: Peace Corps Fellows/USA offers lifetime eligibility for graduate school fellowships to returned Peace Corps Volunteers. Every one of their fellowships offers a service internship and financial aid.
Fellows/USA partners with 55 universities across the country offering graduate degrees in hundreds of fields, and the program continues to grow. Attend the Fellows/USA graduate school fair at Peace Corps headquarters, 1111 20th street NW, Washington, DC, to find out more.
Wednesday, September 29
6:00 p.m.: Q&A with current Fellows and alumni
6:45 p.m.: Graduate school recruiting fair
RSVP by September 27 to 202.692.1058 or fellows@peacecorps.gov
THANK YOU!!