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Tim Foster
Director, Eleanor Stellyes Center for Global Studies
2 East South Street
Galesburg, IL 61401
Training and experience in a specific work sector
Leveraging concrete knowledge and skills is central to on-the-ground international development work. Through this PC Prep Program, you will begin to build a professional specialty, which should serve your career well whether or not you become a Peace Corps Volunteer.
For PC Prep, you need to complete at least 3 courses that align with a specific Peace Corps work sector (Education, Health, Environment, Agriculture, Youth in Development, or Community Economic Development). You must also accumulate a minimum of 50 hours of volunteer or work experience in that same sector, preferably in a teaching or outreach capacity.
Peace Corps Tip! - If you intend to apply to the Peace Corps, the best way to assure that you will be a strong candidate is to explore Peace Corps' openings and identify the type of assignments in which you'd like to serve (see Volunteer Openings), and then review the position's required and desired qualifications and build up your knowledge, skills and experience accordingly. In the process, you should fulfill these PC Prep experiential requirements!
There are six sectors in which Peace Corps Volunteers serve - detailed below. Choose one sector to focus on. Complete at least 3 courses + 50 hours of related experience in that sector.
Below find suggested courses and volunteer opportunities. Students may also submit their own proposals for substitutions to their PC Prep program advisor for consideration.
Teach lessons that last a lifetime. Education is the Peace Corps' largest program area. Volunteers play an important role in creating links among schools, parents, and communities by working in elementary, secondary, and postsecondary schools as math, science, conversational English, and resource teachers or as early grade reading and literacy teacher trainers. Volunteers also develop libraries and technology resource centers.
Courses at Knox:
Suggested Volunteer Opportunities:
Serve on the front lines of global health. Health volunteers work within their communities to promote important topics such as nutrition, maternal and child health, basic hygiene, and water sanitation. Volunteers also work in HIV/AIDS education and prevention programs to train youth as peer educators, develop appropriate education strategies, provide support to children orphaned by the pandemic, and create programs that provide emotional and financial support to families and communities affected by the disease.
Courses at Knox
Any three Biology courses, or any combination of Biology and the following:
Suggested Volunteer Opportunities
Help forge a global movement to protect our planet. Volunteers lead grassroots efforts in their communities to protect the environment and strengthen understanding of environmental issues. They teach environmental awareness in elementary and secondary schools and to youth groups and community organizations, empowering communities to make their own decisions about how to protect and conserve the local environment. Volunteers also address environmental degradation by promoting sustainable use of natural resources.
Courses at Knox
Any three Environmental Studies courses or participation in Green Oaks immersion term.
Suggested Volunteer Opportunities
Lead grassroots efforts to fight hunger in a changing world. Agricultural Volunteers work with small-scale farmers and families to increase food security and production and adapt to climate change while promoting environmental conservation practices. They introduce farmers to techniques that prevent soil erosion, reduce the use of harmful pesticides, and replenish the soil. They work alongside farmers on integrated projects that often combine vegetable gardening, livestock management, agroforestry, and nutrition education.
Courses at Knox
Any combination of the following:
Suggested Volunteer Opportunities
Empower the next generation of changemakers. Volunteers work with youth in communities on projects that promote engagement and active citizenship, including gender awareness, employability, health and HIV/AIDS education, environmental awareness, sporting programs, and information technology.
Courses at Knox
Any combination of the following:
Suggested Volunteer Opportunities
Harness 21st-century tools to help communities lift themselves. Volunteers work with development banks, nongovernmental organizations, and municipalities to strengthen infrastructure and encourage economic opportunities in communities. They frequently teach in classroom settings and work with entrepreneurs and business owners to develop and market their products. Some Volunteers also teach basic computer skills and help communities take advantage of technologies such as e-commerce, distance learning, and more.
Courses at Knox
Any combination of the following:
Suggested Volunteer Opportunities
Peace Corps Tip! Nearly two-thirds of Peace Corps Volunteers serve in Education or Health. Coursework and meaningful experience in one of these areas - especially teaching English as a second/foreign language - produce some of the strongest candidates.
https://www.knox.edu/academics/majors-and-minors/peace-corps-preparatory-program/peace-corps-prep-student-guide/sector-specific-training
Printed on Wednesday, October 30, 2024
