PEACE CORPS PREP
APPLICATION & STUDENT GUIDE
Welcome!
Being part of the IWU Peace Corps Prep program is an important choice in your personal and
professional development. This program will shape your time on campus and your years beyond IWU.
Whether you ultimately serve in the Peace Corps or not, your investment in this program says a lot about
who you are and the world you wish to create. Thank you for thinking deliberately about shaping your role
as a future leader.
This packet includes the IWU Peace Corps Prep Application and the Peace Corps Prep Student
Guide. The application can be completed whenever you are ready. Make an appointment with the program
coordinator to discuss it. The student guide will be your road map for the program. More information about
the IWU Peace Corps Prep program can be found at https://www.iwu.edu/action/peace-corps-prep.html.
You should also visit www.peacecorps.gov for more information and to be inspired!
IWU students, alumni, faculty, and staff want you to succeed and will support you in this endeavor.
We also know that you will do what you can to help others in this program to succeed as well. On behalf of
the IWU Peace Corps Prep Advisory Team, we wish you good luck! This is the start of an exciting
adventure for you!
Deborah Halperin
IWU Peace Corps Prep Coordinator
[email protected]
Action Research Center, CLA 116
https://www.iwu.edu/action/peace-corps-prep.html
FrequentlyAskedQuestions&Answers
Q: If I finish the Peace Corps Prep program, will I automatically get in to the Peace Corps?
A: Being in Peace Corps Prep does not guarantee acceptance into the Peace Corps. It does,
however, give you a competitive advantage at a time when applications are at an all-time high.
Also, being in the Peace Corps Prep program does not require you to apply for the Peace Corps.
You are not obligated to apply or to serve in the Peace Corps because of your Peace Corps Prep
certificate.
Q: Do I have to take all of these courses on top of all of the other courses I need to take for my major?
A: The courses that you take for your major can count for Peace Corps Prep as well. Some of the
courses will probably overlap. When you meet with your Peace Corps Prep Coordinator, you will
map out a plan for how all of the courses fit together.
Q: My major doesn’t align with any of the six sectors. How do I make that work?
A: Your major does not have to match your choice of sector. You can be a music major and
select the education sector. You can be a religion major and select community economic
development as your sector. No matter which sector you choose, you must have three courses
and fifty hours of community engagement related to that sector. Work with your Peace Corps
Prep Coordinator to find courses and service opportunities that fit the sector you select.
Visit www.peacecorps.gov to see what volunteer positions are available. Your major can be
applicable to many of the positions. There are wonderful opportunities in each of the six sectors.
Q: I would like to talk to someone about her/his service in the Peace Corps. Can Peace Corps Prep
connect me with someone here in town?
A: We can! There are Returned Peace Corps volunteers in our community that would be happy
to talk with you. There are many resources for you to consider.
Q: I don't think I want to live outside of the US and I am more interested in domestic service programs.
Is Peace Corps Prep still valuable to me?
A: Thank you for making service programs part of your future. Peace Corps Prep can have value
to anyone interested in making a difference in the world. Having hands on experience in the
community and studying intercultural competence will be of great value no matter what your
future endeavors.
Q: If I am not a US citizen, can I still participate in the Peace Corps Prep program?
A: You cannot serve in the Peace Corps unless you are a US citizen but you can participate in
Peace Corps Prep. Participating in the Peace Corps Prep program is excellent training for global
service in any capacity.
PEACE CORPS PREP STUDENT GUIDE
The Peace Corps Prep program will prepare you for international development fieldwork and potential
Peace Corps service. To accomplish this, you will build four core competencies through interrelated
coursework, hands-on experience, and professional development support. These four competencies, or
“learning objectives,” are the following:
1. Training and experience in a work sector
2. Foreign language skills
3. Intercultural competence
4. Professional and Leadership Development
This document explains each of these requirements in detail. Use this guide to map out your Peace
Corps Prep course of study. In particular, refer to this when completing your Peace Corps Prep
application, where you will need to document how you plan to fulfill each requirement. This guide
aligns point-by-point with each section of the application.
Each work sector has a list of majors or academic departments where courses might be relevant to your
Peace Corps Prep program. Plan to work with your faculty advisor and the Peace Corps Prep
Coordinator as you register each semester. Your schedule, the classes offered, study abroad
requirements, and other campus commitments mean there are a lot of “moving parts” to making the
most out of your plan. Good communication will help to keep everyone on track.
For the fifty hour requirement, there are ideas listed in each work sector. The ARC manages many of
IWU’s relationships with local non-profits and community development initiatives. Opportunities can
be customized to meet your Peace Corps Prep plan. The Hart Career Center also has an extensive list
of opportunities in both for-profit and non-profits agencies. The Internship Director can help you
navigate the requirements for an academic credit for an internship within or outside of your major.
You are encouraged to use these campus resources. Start planning your projects early! If ever you need
support, the ARC has tools and connections to assist with community-based research and project
management.
For more information:
Deborah Halperin, IWU Peace Corps Prep Coordinator
[email protected]
CLA 116
https://www.iwu.edu/action/peace-corps-prep.html
1. Training AND Experience in a Specific Work Sector
3courses+50hoursrelatedexperience
Leveraging concrete knowledge and skills is central to on-the-ground international development
work. Through this Peace Corps 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 Peace Corps Prep, you need to complete at least 3 courses that align with a specific work sector
(they can but do not need to come from your academic major or minor). You also must 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!
IfyouintendtoapplytothePeaceCorps,thebestwaytoassurethatyouwillbea
strongcandidateistoidentifythetypeofassignmentsinwhichyou’dliketoserve
throughthisinteractivetool(www.peacecorps.gov/openings),thenreviewthe
positions’desiredqualificationsandbuildthemupaccordingly.Intheprocess,you
shouldfulfillthesePEACECORPSPrepexperientialrequirements!
There are six sectors in which Peace Corps Volunteers serve—detailed below.
Choose one sector to focus on then complete at least 3 courses + 50 hours of related experience
in that sector.
Note: Actual Peace Corps assignments are based on local needs, and thus may or may not align seamlessly
with your qualifications. Flexibility is central to the Peace Corps experience!
#1EDUCATION(www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer/learn/whatvol/edu_youth/assignments/)
Teachlessonsthatlastalifetime.EducationisthePeaceCorp’slargestprogram
area.Volunteersplayanimportantroleincreatinglinksamongschools,parents,
andcommunitiesbyworkinginelementary,secondary,andpostsecondaryschools
asmath,science,conversationalEnglish,andresourceteachersorasearlygrade
readingandliteracyteachertrainers.Volunteersalsodeveloplibrariesand
technologyresourcecenters.
If you choose Education, take 3 courses from one of the following areas:
o Elementary Education
o Mathematics
o English
o Computer Science
o Secondary Education
o Chemistry
o Physics
o Biology
AND build 50 hours of related field experience through an activity such as:
o Teaching in one of these or a similar form: in a classroom, with a community
outreach organization, or in a formal tutoring capacity
o The subject of the teaching may be English as a Foreign/Second Language,
special education, drama, or a STEM subject
o Tutoring children at an afterschool program such as Western Avenue Community
Center, the Boys & Girls Club, UNITY Community Center, or Milestones Early
Learning Center
o Assisting the Bloomington Public Library is a special event such as Dia de los Ninos
or India Day to teach both literacy and cultural education
o Coordinating activities at the STEAM Conference at Heartland Community College
every January
o Volunteering with the drama club at Bloomington Junior High School
o Participating in the Reading Buddies partnership with Bent Elementary School
o Teaching coding classes at the Cyber Space computer lab at the West Bloomington
Revitalization Project (WBRP) office
o Building SmartScopes with the Regional Alternative School and train students how
to use lab equipment
o Managing the Maker Space at the Children’s Discovery Museum in Normal, Illinois
o Installing Little Free Libraries and gather book donations to keep them stocked
#2HEALTH(www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer/learn/whatvol/health/assignments/)
Serveonthefrontlinesofglobalhealth.HealthVolunteersworkwithintheir
communitiestopromoteimportanttopicssuchasnutrition,maternalandchild
health,basichygiene,andwatersanitation.VolunteersalsoworkinHIV/AIDS
educationandpreventionprogramstotrainyouthaspeereducators,develop
appropriateeducationstrategies,providesupporttochildrenorphanedbythe
pandemic,andcreateprogramsthatprovideemotionalandfinancialsupportto
familiesandcommunitiesaffectedbythedisease.
If you choose Health, take three courses from one of the following areas:
o Nursing
o Pre-Dentistry
o Health
o Pre-Veterinarian
o Pre-Med
o Pre-Optometry
o Pre-Biology
o Psychology
o Environmental Studies
o Educational Studies
o Sociology
AND build 50 hours of related field experience through an activity such as:
o Becoming an instructor for the American Red Cross of the Heartland
o Volunteering or work experience in such areas as HIV/AIDS outreach, hospice, family
planning counseling, emergency medical technician (EMT) or CPR teaching/certification,
maternal health, and hands-on caregiving in a hospital, clinic, or lab technician setting
o Assisting at the Community Health Care Clinic (a free clinic for people who are uninsured or
underinsured) or on the mobile health clinic van
5
o Volunteering at Immanuel Health Clinic on the Westside, OSF Hospital, or Advocate
BroMenn Hospital
o Counseling or teaching in health subjects
o Working as a resident advisor in a dormitory, as a peer nutritionist, or as a sexually
transmitted infections counselor
o Earning significant experience in mechanical repairs, construction, carpentry, masonry,
plumbing, hydrology, or set design. For example, coordinate a workshop for the Tool
Library in weatherization for old homes.
o Assisting at the annual free dental clinic through the McLean County Township
o Creating downtown walking paths with the McLean County Wellness Coalition
o Training with young women through the Girls Run club at the Boys & Girls Club
o Mentoring young men in the Lawrence Irwin Neighborhood Center basketball league
o Assisting with the Early Intervention Task Force to promote healthy habits among low
income families in subsidized childcare
o Writing a grant with the McLean County Regional Planning Commission to study health
risks in target areas
#3ENVIRONMENT(www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer/learn/whatvol/env/assignments/)
Helpforgeaglobalmovementtoprotectourplanet.Volunteersleadgrassroots
effortsintheircommunitiestoprotecttheenvironmentandstrengthen
understandingofenvironmentalissues.Theyteachenvironmentalawarenessin
elementaryandsecondaryschoolsandtoyouthgroupsandcommunity
organizations,empoweringcommunitiestomaketheirowndecisionsabouthow
toprotectandconservethelocalenvironment.Volunteersalsoaddress
environmentaldegradationbypromotingsustainableuseofnaturalresources.
If you choose Environment, take three courses from one of the following areas:
o Environmental Studies o Geology
o Biology
o Pre-Forestry
AND build 50 hours of related field experience through an activity such as:
o Educating the public on environmental or conservation issues, or working on environmental
campaigns
o Serving on the Board of the Ecology Action Center and take the lead on the annual
Hazardous Waste Collection
o Conducting biological surveys of plants or animals such as the annual invertebrate study of
the Kickapoo Creek
o Gardening, farming, nursery management, organic or low-input vegetable production, or
landscaping
o Maintaining the IWU Peace Garden, a half-acre organic garden operated by students
o Interning at Sugar Creek Nature Center and learn about invasive plants such as garlic
mustard
o Developing the butterfly garden at Washington Elementary School to support pollinators in
the area
o Assisting with the Food Forest in Normal, Illinois as the orchard begins to mature
o Operating the Veggie Oasis project to bring farmers market produce to the Westside food
desert
o Providing technical assistance and training in natural resource management through
internships at the Land Connection or Parklands
#4AGRICULTURE(www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer/learn/whatvol/agr/assignments/)
Leadgrassrootseffortstofighthungerinachangingworld.Agricultural
Volunteersworkwithsmall-scalefarmersandfamiliestoincreasefoodsecurity
andproductionandadapttoclimatechangewhilepromotingenvironmental
conservationpractices.Theyintroducefarmerstotechniquesthatpreventsoil
erosion,reducetheuseofharmfulpesticides,andreplenishthesoil.Theywork
alongsidefarmersonintegratedprojectsthatoftencombinevegetablegardening,
livestockmanagement,agroforestry,andnutritioneducation.
If you choose Agriculture, take three courses from one of the following areas:
o Health
o Economics
o Environmental Studies
o Biology
o Economics
o Political Science
AND build 50 hours of related field experience through an activity such as:
o Working with a large-scale or family-run business involving vegetable gardening, farming,
nursery work, tree planting or care, urban forestry, livestock care and management, or fish
cultivation and production
o Teaching or tutoring the public in environmental or agricultural issues/activities
o Working on the business management or marketing side of a commercial farm
o Interning with PrairiErth Farm to learn about organic farming
o Serving on the organizing team for the first grocery co-op in McLean County
o Conducting soil testing throughout the county with the Master Gardeners through the
University of Illinois Extension Office
o Managing the IWU Peace Garden or the West Bloomington Community Garden
#5YOUTHINDEVELOPMENT
(www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer/learn/whatvol/youth/assignments/)
Empowerthenextgenerationofchangemakers.Volunteersworkwithyouthin
communitiesonprojectsthatpromoteengagementandactivecitizenship,
includinggenderawareness,employability,healthandHIV/AIDSeducation,
environmentalawareness,sportingprograms,andinfotechnology.
If you choose Youth in Development, take three courses from one of the following areas:
o Educational Studies
o Environmental Studies
o Psychology
o International Studies
o Sociology
AND build 50 hours of related field experience through an activity such as:
o Teaching or counseling participants in at-risk youth programs
o Planning, organizing, assessing community needs, counseling, and providing leadership, in
areas such as education, youth development, health and HIV/AIDS, the environment,
and/or business
o Interning with one of the many youth-focused organizations in the community including the
Boys & Girls Club, UNITY Community Center, the YMCA, the YWCA, or Western
Avenue Community Center
o Conducting a voter registration drive with the League of Women Voters to engage young
voters in the political process
o Mentoring a player with the Miracle League for youth with developmental disability who play
baseball
o Coaching young men in the Lawrence Irwin Neighborhood Center basketball league
o Facilitating the Teen Zone at the public library and organize teen leaders to assist with
programming
o Teaching classes on entrepreneurship with Junior Achievement and help the student
governments of elementary schools to operate school stores
o Building homes with youth in the YouthBuild charter school as they earn volunteer hours
and academic credit
#6COMMUNITYECONOMICDEVELOPMENT
(www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer/learn/whatvol/busdev_01/assignments/)
st
Harness21 -centurytoolstohelpcommunitiesliftthemselves.Volunteerswork
withdevelopmentbanks,nongovernmentalorganizations,andmunicipalitiesto
strengtheninfrastructureandencourageeconomicopportunitiesincommunities.
Theyfrequentlyteachinclassroomsettingsandworkwithentrepreneursand
businessownerstodevelopandmarkettheirproducts.SomeVolunteersalso
teachbasiccomputerskillsandhelpcommunitiestakeadvantageoftechnologies
suchase-commerce,distancelearning,andmore.
If you choose Community Economic Development, take three courses from one of the following areas:
o Business Administration o Computer Science
o Financial Services
o Economics
o Graphic Design
o International Business
o Accounting Services
o Risk Management
o Political Science
AND build 50 hours of related field experience through an activity such as:
o Working with businesses, organizations, or cooperatives in accounting, finance, microfinance,
management, project management, budgeting, or marketing
o Starting and running your own business or other entrepreneurial activity
o Training others in computer literacy, maintenance, and repair
o Designing websites or develop online marketing strategies
o Founding or leading a community- or school-based organization
o Working with the local free trade store, Crossroads, to develop an online sales platform
o Hosting small business owners on campus to discuss entrepreneurship and create a video series of
their talks
o Studying local Tax Increment Financing districts and analyze the feasibility of future TIFs along
Main Street
o Partnering with the Downtown Bloomington Association to survey existing business owners and
host the annual membership meeting
o Starting a microfinance program to assist rising small business owners
o Assisting with the co-working space for entrepreneurs in Normal, Il called Slingshot and coordinate
the 1,000,000 Cups initiative on Wednesday mornings
o Providing the voice of millennials as part of the BN Advantage initiative
o Mapping free internet connections in the community and create ways to increase connectivity in low
income areas
2. ForeignLanguageSkills
Requirementsvarybylanguage
Working across cultures often entails verbal and nonverbal languages distinct from your own.
Building foreign language skills is thus a second key component of the Peace Corps Prep curriculum.
Where would you like to serve? Peace Corps Prep minimum course requirements align with those needed
by applicants to the Peace Corps itself, which vary by linguistic region.
• Latin America: Individuals wanting to serve in Spanish-speaking countries must apply with
strong intermediate proficiency. This typically means completing two 200-level courses.
• West Africa: Individuals wanting to serve in French-speaking African countries should be
proficient in French (or, in some cases, any Romance Language), usually through one 200level course.
• Everywhere else: The Peace Corps has no explicit language requirements for individuals
applying to serve in most other countries. However, you will still likely learn and utilize
another language during service, so it is only helpful to have taken at least one foreign
language class.
Note: If you are a strong native speaker and want to serve in a country that speaks your same language,
you can skip this requirement!
InterculturalCompetence
3approvedcoursesandculturalimmersion
experience
Engaging thoughtfully and fluidly across cultures begins with one’s own self-awareness. With this learning
objective, you will deepen your cultural agility through a mix of three introspective courses and an
intercultural immersion learning experience in which you learn about others while reflecting upon your
own self in relation to others. The goal is for you to build your capacity to shift perspective and behavior
around relevant cultural differences. You will take one of the core courses described below as well as two of
the elective courses. Many of the IWU courses that meet the general education requirement for
Encountering Global Diversity meet this learning objective. Courses given this designation introduce
students to the ways in which diversity has shaped and continues to shape identity and experience in the
world. It is possible that the intercultural immersion experience can count as one of your elective courses.
Please consult with your Peace Corps Prep Coordinator.
Choose 1 of these core courses:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
ANTH 171
SOC 230
SOC/PSCI 395
INST 240
INST 222/322
PSCI 103
PSCI 104
Cultural Anthropology
Race and Ethnic Relations
Action Research Seminar
Introduction to International Studies
International Human Rights: An Introduction
Comparing Nations
Multiculturalism & its Critics
Choose 2 electives from the list of core courses (above) or these additional electives (below)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
ANTH 252
ANTH 274
ANTH 310
ANTH 330
ANTH 350
ANTH 360
ART 355
BUS 360
BUS 451
ECON 355
EDUC 225
EDUC 373
ENGL 129
ENGL 249
ENST 240
ENST 361
HIST 343
HLTH 280
HUM 104
INST 373
PSCI 215
Gender in Cross-cultural perspective
Peoples and Cultures of East Africa
Re-Imagining Culture and Fieldwork
Language, Communication and Culture
Health and Healing in Cross-Cultural Perspective
Race, Racism, and Anthropology
African Expressive Arts
Travel Seminar: Effects of National Cultures on Business Decision Making
International Business
Economics of Developing Countries
Education and Social Justice
Education and International Development
Third World Women Speak
Writing in the Third World
Health and the Environment
Globalization and the Environment
Migration, Ethnicity, and Race
Perspectives in Global Health
World of Ideas: The Modern Era
Education and International Development
Politics in Developing Societies
PSCI 326
PSYC 354
REL 110
REL 204
SOC 270/370
SOC 277/377
SOC 314
SOC 354
SPAN 230
SPAN 240
SPAN 316
SPAN 320
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Globalization and Development
Identity, Social Justice, and Psychology
Religions of the World
Native American/African Religion
Hidden Communities
Travel and Fieldwork in Sociology
Communities and Urban Sociology
Gender and Globalization
Medical Spanish and Cultural Competency for Health Care
Spanish for Social Justice
Latin American Culture and Civilization
Studies in Cultural History
Is there another course in the catalog that you feel meets this requirement? Please discuss it with your Peace Corps Prep
Coordinator.
1InterculturalImmersionExperience–notrequiredbuthighlyencouraged
Prolonged intercultural experiences—such as studying or volunteering abroad, supporting new immigrants
or refugees acculturate to the United States, teaching English as a second/foreign language, or volunteering
in diverse schools—would also strengthen your Peace Corps candidacy significantly. This part of the
learning objective aims to prepare students for the on-the-ground, human-to-human, intercultural realities
inherent to Peace Corps service.
There are many opportunities at IWU that can offer an intercultural immersion experience including Study
Abroad, Alternative Breaks, gap year(s), internship, independent study, or honors research. While this
experience is not required to be in the Peace Corps Prep program, it is highly encouraged. The learning
experience is invaluable. Talk with a member of the Peace Corps Prep Advisory Team to discuss how an
immersion experience can also count toward other requirements such as core or optional courses or the
leadership component.
3. ProfessionalandLeadershipDevelopment
ResumeandInterviewSupport+LeadershipExperience
International development is a highly professional sector. It is difficult to break into and demands great
initiative and leadership to advance professionally within the field. Peace Corps Prep requires three specific
activities that will strengthen your candidacy for the Peace Corps (or any other professional endeavor):
1. Have your resume critiqued by someone in the Hart Career Center.
2. Attend a workshop or class on interview skills at the Hart Career Center.
3. Develop at least one significant leadership experience and be prepared to discuss it
thoughtfully. For example, organizing a campus event, leading a work or volunteer project,
or serving on the executive board of a student organization.
Every semester, the IWU Peace Corps Prep program will schedule a resume and interview skills workshops
in partnership with the Hart Career Center. Students are encouraged to utilize all the services of the Hart
Career Center including study skills workshops, resume preparation, and mock interviews.
For leadership and community engagement experiences, students are encouraged to work with the ARC.
You can find the ARC in CLA 116 or online at www.iwu.edu/action. Many examples of the ARC projects
can be found on the blog (https://blogs.iwu.edu/action/). There are many existing opportunities but the
ARC staff are also able to customize community experiences for you. Other engagement opportunities can
be found through registered student organizations, Greek Life, academic honor societies, and residence
halls.
The ARC can help to navigate whether your leadership experience can also count as a course. For example,
a study on food deserts could be completed as a course in environmental studies either as a capstone project
or as an internship. There are creative ways to connect your leadership experience to your academic and cocurricular activities.