News
New NPCA Board Directors Announced
New NPCA Board Directors Summary 2023 By Dan Baker I am thrilled to introduce the forthcoming additions to NPCA's Board of Directors. With the unprecedented participation of 1,267 voters, our membership has effectively filled five vacant positions for member-elected seats on the board. Moreover, the governance committee has thoughtfully selected five candidates from the ballot to occupy open member and board-elected seats, for an expanded total of 21 board directors. Get to know our ten new directors below. Each of these individuals brings a unique set of skills, experiences, and perspectives that will undoubtedly enrich our organization's efforts and contribute to our ongoing success. We are very...
Recommended Groups Supporting Relief Efforts in Maui
We at NPCA express our heartfelt appreciation to the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Hawai’i for their exceptional dedication in supporting the victims of the recent fire in Maui. Their willingness to step forward during times of crisis exemplifies the core principles of empathy and service that the Peace Corps embodies. Mahalo for being a shining example of unity and assistance in the face of adversity. We have received a list of recommended organizations supporting relief efforts from RPCVs in Hawai’i where you can send contributions if you wish. Here is a list of groups recommended by the Returned Peace...
NPCA Community Members Join the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development
Members from NPCA's New York City affiliate group engaged on key topics at the United Nations, delving into the heart of sustainable development talks. By Greg Emerson Bocquet In July, representatives from National Peace Corps Association's New York City affiliate group attended sessions at the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), a “pre-event” ahead of the SDG Summit in September. The SDG Summit will serve to review the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the halfway point to the target set for implementing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The event will be the centerpiece of the High-Level Week of the UN...
Opinion | Recruiting Barbie for Peace Corps
Op-Ed: A Case for Why a Peace Corps Barbie Could Spark Volunteer Interest Among Youth By Megan Dial Image generated by NPCA Staff using Midjourney I’m a Barbie girl. Growing up, every birthday and Christmas I would ask for one thing: more Barbies. By the time I started to enter middle school, my playroom would have served as a miniature functioning society. There was a high school and teachers, a doctor’s office, nurses, a farm, restaurants, sports teams, and even a president to rule. Though it has long been since I last played with my dolls, the memories I made have...
Peace Corps Achievements – July and August 2023
News and updates from the Peace Corps community — across the country, around the world, and spanning generations of returned Volunteers and staff. By Peter V. Deekle (Iran 1968–70) and Gwyn Skiles Samantha Maltais (pictured, Tonga 2018–20) is a member of the Wampanoag Tribe of Aquinnah and a JD candidate at Harvard Law School, advocating for indigenous rights in conjunction with climate change. Taylor Stuckert (Bolivia 2008) is the new executive director of American Connection Corps, a service corps that advances economic prosperity by mobilizing local leaders in rural and emerging communities to tackle critical, bi-partisan challenges. Daniel Mendez (Belize 2009–15) was appointed by the government of Belize as the National Emergency Coordinator for...
Senate Committee Recommends Peace Corps Funding Increase
Senate Appropriations Committee Advances Fiscal Year 2024 Spending Package with $448 Million for Peace Corps By Jonathan Pearson In a strong bipartisan vote on Thursday, July 20th, the Senate Appropriations Committee advanced a Fiscal Year 2024 (FY 2024) spending package for international affairs programs that includes $448 million for the Peace Corps — a four percent, $18 million increase over current funding for the agency. This vote is in sharp contrast to the recommendation of the House Appropriations Committee, which, just last week, approved its version of the State/Foreign Operations (SFOPS) spending package, which included a $20 million (4.6 percent) decrease in funding for the...
Peace Corps Held its First Career Fair at its New Headquarters
An intern’s perspective of the Peace Corps’ first career fair at its new headquarters in Washington, D.C. By Megan Dial On Tuesday, June 27, I joined NPCA’s Advocacy Director Jonathan Pearson as well as advocacy interns Kalena Myers and Ava Smith at Peace Corps’ first in-person career fair at its new headquarters on First Street in Washington, D.C. The career fair was split into two conference rooms just beyond a spacious lobby that housed a memorial for Peace Corps Volunteers who’d passed during service over the 62 years of the agency. Inside the conference rooms, traffic was lively throughout the fair with attendees engaging with over...
Peace Corps Documentary to be Broadcast Nationwide on PBS Stations
Starting on September 2, the Peace Corps documentary, A Towering Task: The Story of the Peace Corps will be available on PBS stations across the country. But there are still some regions that will need to request that their local stations air the documentary. A Towering Task: The Story of the Peace Corps is coming to PBS stations nationwide, starting September 2. You can help make sure this documentary airs in your region. With local PBS stations scheduling programming 2-3 months from air date, the time is now to reach out to your local station. The PBS World channel will host a nationwide broadcast premiere on...
Peace Corps, Other International Funding Facing Budget Cuts
For the first time in many years, both the Senate and House Appropriations Committees are both putting forward recommendations that would reduce funding for our nation’s international affairs programs. By Jonathan Pearson More than a month ago, negotiations on the federal debt ceiling which ultimately averted a default of U.S. financial obligations, included an agreement to cap most non-discretionary government spending for the next two years. Now, the Senate and House of Representatives are advancing their respective appropriations bills to fund the federal government for the fiscal year that begins October 1. Our nation's international affairs programs are on the chopping...
Peace Corps Achievements – May and June 2023
News and updates from the Peace Corps community — across the country, around the world, and spanning generations of returned Volunteers and staff. Compiled by Peter V. Deekle (Iran 1968–70) Alexandria Dreher (pictured, Azerbaijan 2009–12), American Rescue Plan Program Manager in Oregon state’s Lane County, was unanimously appointed Cottage Grove Ward 4 City Councilor-at-Large by the Mayor and City Council this year. Joshuah Marshall (Morocco 2007–09) joined the Biden Administration in March as Senior Advisor to the Director of Indian Health Service where he will be responsible for a variety of special analyses and high-level health policy matters. Ritu Bhatnagar (Nepal 1995–97) was awarded Distinguished Fellow status...