Peace Corps gets USU recruiter
For the first time in Utah State University history, an official Peace Corps recruiter has been appointed.
Peace Corps recruiter Saundra Schimmelpfennig, said the Peace Corps is a program that allows volunteers to work with the local people in developing countries to help them improve living without sacrificing their native culture. Their services cover areas like agriculture and environment preservation.
“What sets the Peace Corps apart from other programs is you are immersed in the culture and having to get something accomplished in a different culture and adapting your behavior to fit within that culture,” she said.
A volunteer typically spends a minimum of two years and three months on a mission, but has the option of staying longer.
Volunteers for “the toughest job you’ll ever love” are required to have a college degree, so universities are adopting programs and hiring recruiters to work on campus.
Visiting recruiters received such a positive response from students in the past, USU felt a permanent recruiter would be beneficial for a number of reasons, Schimmelpfennig said.
The application process can take up to a year and one-half, so having a contact person on hand to answer questions and give applicants direction is a valuable asset, she said.
Marnia Bartelson, a 2002 graduate with a degree in liberal arts and sciences, is in the beginning stages of applying. Schimmelpfennig has helped guide her through the process by holding informative meetings and using e-mail to keep her updated on deadlines, she said.
Bartelson decided to join the Peace Corps after taking a trip to Europe.
“Being there, I realized how little of the world I know and how ignorant we are in the sense of different cultures, and I thought it would be a great way to learn about the world,” she said. “Second, you’re helping people, and while you’re helping people, you are also helping yourself grow as a person. And it makes you feel good about what you’re doing.”
Lisa Perez, who is in the U.S. Forest Service, said people like Bartelson are wise to join the program.
“I would recommend graduates to serve in the Peace Corps because it’s an excellent opportunity to learn about different cultures and see how people live around the world,” she said. “And it gives you a different perspective of the United States.”
Schimmelpfennig plans to promote the Peace Corps by establishing booths and speaking at campus clubs and organizations.
General promotion of the Peace Corps is especially important in Utah because of religious factors, she said.
“Utah is a hard place to recruit because so many people have already gone on a mission for two years, so the idea of leaving the country for another two years is a bit daunting. Also, you can be married while in the Peace Corps, but you can’t have kids, and finding graduate students without kids can be difficult,” Schimmelpfennig said.
However, several returned missionaries have approached her with interest in the Peace Corps because they enjoyed their missions, she said.
About 60 individuals on campus have shown interest in the program or began the application process since the start of the fall semester. There are 11 USU graduate students serving as volunteers in countries throughout Central and South America, Africa and Europe.
Schimmelpfennig served a mission in Thailand after graduating from USU with a degree in environmental studies. Her personal experience in the Peace Corps has resulted in a strong belief in the rewards of the program, she said.
“The biggest reason I went into it is you get to see the world from a different perspective,” she said. “It opens your eyes.”
-mspradling@cc.usu.edu