BackInTime

A “peace”of history:
Peace Corps

Maria Glotfelter
Staff Writer

On this day, in the year of 1961, President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps. At the very least, many people know the name of the Peace Corps. The Peace Corps is a federal, volunteer-based agency whose goal is to serve the global community.
According to peacecorps.gov, the three goals of the Peace Corps are to establish better relationships between other countries and America and also to help interested countries develop in this modern age. Being a federal agency, the Peace Corps must report to Congress. The director and the deputy director of the organization are both appointed by the current President of the United States. The U.S. Senate confirms the nominees for the positions.
The government funds the Peace Corps, so their funds are determined annually in the budget. Like many other organizations, the Peace Corps have changed over the years. In 1961, the first graduates of the Peace Corps program served as teachers. Now, teaching may be just one of the many jobs a Peace Corps volunteer performs.
They may be called upon to rebuild homes or educate people on HIV/AIDs prevention. According to peacecorps.gov, more than 220,000 Americans have served in the Peace Corps. Statistically, most of these volunteers are young, single and women.

The Peace Corps was established by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 of which all participants are present on a volunteer-basis.  (Photo courtesy of around.uoregon.edu)
The Peace Corps was established by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 of which all participants are present on a volunteer-basis. (Photo courtesy of around.uoregon.edu)

Many serve in the areas of education or health, but there are also volunteers who work in agriculture and community economic development. However, although the types of volunteers and the jobs they perform have changed over the years, the Peace Corps says their mission has not. They seek to promote world peace and establish friendly relations among countries.
The Peace Corps offers both business and internship opportunities. U.S. citizens and third-country nationals can apply for overseas positions at any time, according to peacecorps.gov. For those less keen on traveling, there are domestic positions available.
However, you must be a U.S. citizen to apply for a staff position in the Peace Corps. There are a few other eligibility obstacles as well. If someone has ever worked for the CIA or has ever been involved with intelligence, they could be ineligible to apply for a position in the Peace Corps.
Serving in the Peace Corps, just like many other abroad experiences, can have a profound impact on an individual’s life. All volunteers return to their home country with plenty of stories to tell. Since their founding in 1961, the Peace Corps has served in over 140 countries.