CONWAY, Ark. (March 27, 2016) – Hendrix College was recently accepted by the Peace Corps as one of 60 colleges and universities nationwide – and the only institution in Arkansas – to offer the
Peace Corps Prep certificate program.
The program helps undergraduate students determine whether Peace Corps service is a correct path for them and also prepares them for the Peace Corps application.
“A significant number of Hendrix students choose to pursue service opportunities after graduation, and student interest in these opportunities continues to grow,” said Dr. Jay Barth, Director of the Odyssey Program and Civic Engagement Projects, who will serve
as the program coordinator at Hendrix and as a liaison with the Peace Corps. “While Peace Corps service is already on the radar for many students, the Peace Corps Prep program would highlight the opportunity for more students.”
Though completing the program doesn’t guarantee Peace Corps placement, students who complete the program build the type of qualifications that Peace Corps placement officers seek in strong candidates.
“We also see the program as highly beneficial for other Hendrix students preparing for work in the service sector after graduation from Hendrix,” Barth said.
“A goal for our civic engagement and social responsibility program is to create better coherence across students’ coursework, Odyssey experiences, and ongoing service opportunities while at Hendrix so that they can see a pathway to civic engagement that would connect their life at Hendrix
to their vocational and avocational experiences after Hendrix,” he said.
“Even for those students who end up choosing not to pursue application to the Peace Corps, the Prep program would provide such a civic engagement pathway and prepare students for application to various service programs in which students would be working with diverse populations.”
The
program requires students to complete:
- Three courses in one of four specific work sectors (education, health, environment, or youth in development)
- 50 hours of volunteer or work experience away from campus in that same sector, preferably in a teaching or outreach capacity
- Foreign language coursework (if preparing for work in Latin America or West Africa)
- Three courses in intercultural competence in which students learn about others while reflecting upon their own self in relation to others
- Three career preparation activities with Hendrix Career Services
- A leadership experience (e.g., organizing a campus event, leading a work or volunteer project, or serving on the executive board of a student organization) and be prepared to discuss it thoughtfully.
Students who complete the Peace Corps Prep program will also receive “Special Projects” credit through the Hendrix Odyssey Program.
For more information on the Hendrix Peace Corps Prep Program, visit
www.hendrix.edu/peacecorpsprep
About
Hendrix College
Hendrix College is a private liberal arts college in Conway, Arkansas. Founded in 1876 and affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884, Hendrix is featured in Colleges
That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think about Colleges and is nationally recognized in numerous college guides, lists, and rankings for academic quality, community, innovation, and value. For more information, visit
www.hendrix.edu.