The Toughest Job I’ve Ever Loved: Why the Peace Corps Still Matters
By Ty Dávila, Research Contributor at the New Lines Institute The Peace Corps, originating on March 1, 1961, has always been more than the name itself. There is a unified calling that many Americans face: representing American democracy and strengthening global impact. More than 240,000 people have contributed their passion, coming back more grown into their calling. Although it is beyond rewarding, no one ever mentioned that it was easy. For two years at a time, volunteers leave behind family, friends, and loved ones to contribute to something larger than themselves. This is where Peace Corps veteran Jill Tucker describes her experience:...
Salute to Advocacy Coordinators and New Legislation
As September got underway, there was some big news on pending legislation in the House of Representatives and the role played by past and present National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) advocacy leaders. Meanwhile, new legislation has been introduced. One bill that would provide a number of benefits to serving volunteers. Another, raises serious concerns about Peace Corps independence and autonomy. All of this as we are less than two weeks from a new federal fiscal year, and the threat of a government shutdown. The success of NPCA's advocacy program is only as good as the engagement of our community members....
From Vision to Wall: Celebrating the Peace Corps at UVM
New Mural Celebrates Peace Corps’ Global Impact at UVM By Ty Dávila, Research Contributor at the New Lines Institute The University of Vermont has long been recognized for its strong connection to the Peace Corps, consistently ranking among the nation’s top institutions for volunteer participation. In 2018, UVM achieved the No. 2 spot for Peace Corps involvement, and in 2025, the university was ranked third among medium-sized schools, reflecting a campus culture deeply committed to global service and supporting communities in need. This enduring dedication helps cultivate students who engage meaningfully with the world beyond Vermont. Since 1961, the Peace...
Hispanic Heritage Month: Lost in Translation—Found in Service
By Jeannette (Jenny) Sanchez, Mike Roman, and Orrin Luc Hispanic Heritage Month invites us to celebrate the rich diversity and complexity of identity—and what better way to do that than through the stories of three Returned Peace Corps Volunteers who challenged expectations and built bridges around the world. Two of our storytellers proudly identify as Mexican American—yet neither grew up speaking Spanish. One served as a Peace Corps Response Volunteer in Ukraine and Guyana, navigating cultures and climates far from their abuela’s kitchen. The other found themselves in the remote Pacific islands of Kiribati, where the language wasn’t Spanish, and...
The Question That Changed My Life: A Peace Corps Story to Raise Deaf Awareness
By Joshua Josa “How are you 25, finished your BA, and already a teacher? I’m older than you and in Class 8 for the fourth year.” When I first applied to the Peace Corps after finishing my BA at Cal State University, Northridge, I imagined two years of teaching, service, and adventure. I didn’t anticipate how profoundly the experience would change me—how the communities I served could show me so much value in sign languages and deaf ways of being. From 2009 to 2011, I served as a Deaf Education and Behavior Communication and Change Volunteer in Kenya. My time...
Congress is Back…What’s Next?
Right after Labor Day, Congress returned to Capitol Hill following its weeks-long summer recess. A heavy agenda with a number of controversial matters are in store for members of the House and Senate. What’s next for matters pertaining to the Peace Corps? And how can you help? Peace Corps Funding: The annual appropriations process for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY 2026) spending is virtually certain to – as has been the case for many years – be incomplete when the new federal fiscal year begins on October 1st. Work in September has been further complicated by the Trump administration’s proposal to...
Mobilizing for a Congressional Gold Medal
Following a successful Capitol Hill Advocacy Day, there is progress in the effort to bring forth legislation to recognize the significant work of Peace Corps Volunteers with passage of Congressional Gold Medal legislation for past and present volunteers. Bipartisan legislation in the House of Representatives is in the works, with hope that legislation will be introduced in the weeks after Congress returns from its summer recess. Work remains to have similar legislation introduced in the Senate. While more than 170 members of the Peace Corps community urged support for gold medal legislation during our Capitol Hill Day, we encourage you...
New CEO at Peace Corps HQ
Peace Corps Announces Leadership Change Peace Corps announced a change in leadership, with Paul Shea (pictured) assuming the Chief Executive Officer role. “Kris Besch, from the Office of Global Operations, will assume the duties of Deputy Chief Executive Officer, and Karen Roberts, currently a senior advisor in the Office of the Director, will assume the duties of Acting Chief of Staff until the administration selects an individual to serve in the position.” We join Peace Corps in thanking Dr. Allison Greene (pictured) for her temporary role as CEO as she returns to her former position as the Director of Overseas Programming and Training Support. Allison inspired...
Jack’s Journey to Stand Up for Service
Jack's Journey to Stand Up for Service By Hayden Johnson (NPCA Communications Intern) From the remote villages of East Cameroon to the capital city of Yaoundé, Jack Alperstein’s (Cameroon 2017-2020) Peace Corps journey exemplifies not only dedication to global service but also a remarkable ability to reflect and communicate his experience. Through his blog, Jack and the Peace Corps, Alperstein brings his readers into the daily realities, challenges, and successes of international volunteer work with clarity, humility, and heart. Alperstein’s Peace Corps Experience Between 2017 and 2019, Alperstein served as a Health Volunteer in the East Region of Cameroon, where...
From Senegal to Rochester: A Return with Purpose
Peace Corps' Third Goal: To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans. by Geri Critchley (RPCV Senegal 1971—1972) From Senegal to Rochester: A Return with Purpose Post Peace Corps, I had just finished directing The Experiment in International Living's Washington, D.C. office while supporting my (former) husband’s art career. He had declined a Neurology Residency at the Mayo Clinic, but after three years, he was (miraculously) accepted again, so we moved to Rochester, Minnesota. Influenced by the perspective I experienced in my small village in Senegal, I began mobilizing and networking to determine how...