News
NEWS ALERT: DOGE visits Peace Corps Headquarters
What we know: The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) visited the Peace Corps office in Washington, D.C. today, with one individual from the department reported on the premises and more on the way tomorrow. We are waiting to hear the results of the visit and will keep you all informed as we learn more. What we do know is that, in addition to building international peace and friendship around the globe, the 240,000 Americans who have served in the Peace Corps since 1961 have come home and started businesses, entered local and state government, become teachers and nonprofit leaders, and...
Advocacy Update: Victory in North Dakota
Victory for North Dakota RPCVS North Dakota has become the latest state – following recent, similar victories in Maryland and Colorado – to pass legislation allowing Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) to receive in-state tuition when attending state graduate schools. Governor Kelly Armstrong signed the legislation (HB 1529) into law on March 25, 2025, after it was passed unanimously in the North Dakota House (on February 11) and Senate (March 12). In-state tuition legislation passes in the North Dakota State Senate Public Testimony The legislation was introduced by State Representative Mary Schneider of Fargo. As she presented the legislation...
This Earth Month: Take Intergenerational Environmental Action
Because youth have the most to lose from climate change and the most to gain from climate action, they deserve to have a leadership role. By Brady Fergusson (RPCV Kiribati 2006–08) One shared value across the divides we see today is the desire to improve the world for future generations. However, climate change puts our ability to achieve this goal at severe risk. The impacts of climate change are an intergenerational injustice because if we do not solve this existential challenge, the youngest people who have contributed least to the problem will be the most negatively impacted. My experience serving...
Announcing the Winner of the 2025 Wofford Global Citizen Award
For tens of thousands of members of the Peace Corps community, Harris Llewellyn Wofford will always be remembered and revered for his iconic work as one of the Peace Corps' architects and his vigorous lifelong commitment to volunteerism and service above self. His legacy lives on through NPCA’s Harris Wofford Award for Global Leadership. The Global Citizen Award recognizes an outstanding global leader from a country where Peace Corps Volunteers served, whose life was influenced by the Peace Corps, and whose career contributed significantly to their nation and the world in ways that reflect shared values in human dignity and...
Lesotho: The Mountain Kingdom the World Should Know
By Annabelle Vanderwerf, RPCV (Lesotho, 2019-2020) From September 2019 until the global Peace Corps evacuation in March 2020, I had the privilege of working as an education volunteer in a small Basotho village. From the moment I arrived, I was embraced by a community that welcomed me as one of their own. My host mom during training had a way of making every day an experience—whether it was waking me up by yelling “hlatsoa!” (“wash!”) or dancing with me to Christmas music in the kitchen. My permanent site host mom knew exactly how to lift my spirits, frying up makoenya...
Life Beyond the Walls: A TEDx Talk, Book Discussion and Performance with Grace James on her recent publishing, The Longest Wait: An Asylum Journey
In Honor of International Women's Day 2025! Life Beyond the Walls: A TEDx Talk, Book Discussion and Performance with Grace James on her recent publishing: March 15, 1-3 PM Eastern View the Live Stream Here The Longest Wait explores the emotional and physical toll of waiting—whether for asylum, stability, or a place to call home. Through her deeply personal narrative, she illuminates the resilience of Asylum Seekers like herself who navigate uncertainty, displacement, and systemic barriers. Event Program Author Discussion: Grace James shares insights into The Longest Wait and the stories that shaped the book. Audience Q&A: Attendees engage in...
Making an Impact: NPCA Board Member highlights Service and Advocacy at Columbus Peace Corps Day
NPCA Board member Mike Roman highlighted Peace Corps advocacy and the impact of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) during a public viewing of the documentary A Towering Task, organized by the Central Ohio RPCV Association at Columbus Peace Corps Day. by Michael Roman (RPCV Kiribati 2000–02, NPCA Board Member) Columbus, OH — As Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, community leaders, and local officials gathered to celebrate Columbus Peace Corps Day, I had the honor of representing the National Peace Corps Association as a guest speaker alongside the city's mayor. The event was filled with energy, warmth, and a profound sense of...
Beyond Borders: Women of the Peace Corps
Beyond Borders: Women of the Peace Corps "We need [...] to mobilize all women to establish a new and peaceful world for the 21st Century. It can be done. Young, intelligent, hard-working politicians can do it." Sargent Shriver | Potomac, MD | May 5, 1998 The letter arrived in a thin, white envelope—just a few sheets of paper that would change everything. It carried an invitation, a challenge, and the promise of a journey. For decades, women have answered this call, leaving behind the familiar to step into the unknown, carrying only a willingness to serve and the strength to...
Peace Corps Week by the Numbers
Thanks to YOU, our NPCA community, we saw an incredible response in celebrating Peace Corps Week! Your enthusiasm, stories, and support made this week unforgettable. Let’s keep the momentum going. 🕊️🕊️ Our Highlights: ✅ 138,000+ interactions with our newsletters ✅ 78,000+ total interactions on social media to celebrate Peace Corps Week ✅ 3,000+ social media shares celebrating Peace Corps Week ✅ 35,000+ interactions on our website ✅ 2,500+ messages sent to Congress over the past three weeks ✅ Over 25 meaningful stories shared on our website ✅ Over 20 published letters to the editor—and newspaper/television interviews appeared in a dozen states, reaching...
Celebrate Women’s History Month with Women of Peace Corps Legacy
Women of Peace Corps Legacy (WPCL) is an organization committed to empowering women and girls worldwide and fostering a more just, equitable, inclusive, and safe world for future generations. Believing that sustainable progress comes from collective efforts, WPCL partners with organizations making meaningful impacts, amplifying their voices and extending their reach. As a unifying force for women whose lives have been shaped by the Peace Corps—current volunteers, returned volunteers, and the communities they've engaged with—WPCL works to strengthen connections and create opportunities that drive lasting change. Guided by core values of community, empowerment, intergenerational collaboration, and celebration, WPCL brings its...