President Koroma of Sierra Leone Visits Peace Corps HQ

Peace Corps Acting Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet welcomed President Ernest Bai Koroma of the Republic of Sierra Leone to Peace Corps headquarters in Washington, D.C. today as part of the Loret Miller Ruppe Speaker Series. Read more about his visit here http://1.usa.gov/XcO8MT “Peace Corps is an organization for which I have a strong personal affinity,” said President Koroma. “The dedication and professionalism of Peace Corps volunteers in our education system made a great impact on me during my formative years. Since 1962, Peace Corps volunteers have been great ambassadors to my country and I know they will continue to play a critical role as we write the next chapter in the history of my country.” Since 1962, more than 3,615 Peace Corps Volunteers have served in Sierra Leone in the areas of education, environment and health.

Before the event, President Koroma was reunited with Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Sharon Kasper Alvarado. Alvarado served in Sierra Leone from 1964 to 1966 as an education volunteer and got to know President Koroma’s family and schoolmates. The two had not seen each other for nearly 50 years.

]]> http://www.rpcvsf.org/sierra-leone-president-reunites-with-rpcv-sharon-alvarado-during-dc-visit/feed/ 0 http://www.rpcvsf.org/congratulations-to-helene-dudley-2013-lillian-carter-award-recipient/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=congratulations-to-helene-dudley-2013-lillian-carter-award-recipient http://www.rpcvsf.org/congratulations-to-helene-dudley-2013-lillian-carter-award-recipient/#comments Sat, 04 May 2013 17:27:33 +0000 EmilyE http://www.rpcvsf.org/?p=1037 Read More...]]>

Peace Corps Announces the 2013 Lillian Carter Award Recipient

Peace Corps Chief of Staff Stacy Rhodes will join former President Jimmy Carter on May 15th to present the 2013 Lillian Carter Award to Helene Ballmann Dudley

Upon her return from Slovakia , Helene joined the board of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of South Florida,    Inc., (RPCVSF) edited their newsletter for several years and then served three terms as president of the group. She also served as a board member of the National Peace Corps Association, representing first the Southeast U.S. and then North Africa and Eastern Europe and as an Advisor to the Board for Friends of Colombia.  

Helene learned about the non-profit sector and grants in Peace Corps Slovakia and then used those new skills to partner with other Colombia RPCVs to establish The Colombia Project, under the umbrella of RPCVSF. Since 2000, The Colombia Project has partnered with grassroots organizations to provide over 1000 micro-loans valued at nearly $250,000 in twelve communities throughout Colombia . Earlier this year, Helene traveled to Colombia to mark the opening of a new micro-loan program to be mentored by The Colombia Project and administered through the local Rotary Club, a significant milestone in the effort to make the program sustainable within Colombia .

Aside from being a parent, Helene feels that Peace Corps service was the most significant experience of her life and she finds opportunities to share that experience at Peace Corps recruiting events, in op-ed articles which she has written for the Miami Herald and in a public television documentary on Peace Corps at 50 which was shown in South Florida . Helene has also organized numerous dinners to raise funds for Peace Corps partnership projects and several events to commemorate Peace Corps’ birthday.

Helene feels that Peace Corps service is an amazing opportunity for personal growth and that she got far more from the Peace Corps experience than she could possibly have given, and that the United States too, gains far more from Peace Corps service than does the developing world. She feels strongly that our nation needs Peace Corps now more than ever.

The Lillian Carter Award honors outstanding senior volunteers who have kept alive President John F. Kennedys dream of international service. Miss Lillian, President Jimmy Carters mother, joined the Peace Corps in 1966 at age 68 as a public health volunteer in India . Her commitment to Peace Corps service was an extension of her tireless dedication and support of people and humanitarian organizations at home and abroad. With this award, the Peace Corps recognizes and honors Miss Lillians legacy through volunteer service. Miss Lillians extraordinary life underscored a commitment and wish she shared with her own children that each of them would reach for goals that have meaning for them …

In addition to acknowledging Miss Lillian and the 2013 award recipient, President Carter will commemorate the over 210,000 American citizens who have dedicated themselves since 1961 to promoting the organizations mission of world peace and friendship.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Starts at 4:00 p.m.

The Carter Center

Cecil B. Chapel

453 Freedom Parkway

Atlanta, GA 30307

Mandatory R.S.V.P.s to attend must be received by Wednesday, May 10, 2013.  Click here to submit your R.S.V.P. or email your R.S.V.P. to lca@peacecorps.gov. 

Please include your full name, email address, phone number, and RPCV details (if applicable).  Free and Open to the Public.

Free online webinar: April 25, 1:00 p.m. EDT

Are you among the many RPCVs who are eager to explore employment within the Agency? Have you dreamed of working to advance the mission of Peace Corps as field staff at one of our 70+ overseas posts, or perhaps from one of our domestic offices (e.g., headquarters in Washington, D.C. or a regional recruitment office)?

If so, join us on Thursday, April 25, from 1:00-2:00 p.m. EDT for a special online event where you’ll learn about exciting opportunities to continue your service via paid staff positions within Peace Corps, either domestic or abroad.

In this free one-hour online session, special guest Peter Loan—Manager of Overseas Recruitment, Selection and Support at Peace Corps—will provide an overview of the various overseas field staff positions with Peace Corps, covering duties and qualifications, what they’re looking for in successful candidates, and how to make yourself more competitive for these competitive positions.

Our second guest, Sharon Harris—HR Staffing Specialist from Peace Corps Headquarters—will speak briefly about domestic staff opportunities within the Agency, and will address the general application process. Ample time will be allotted for both guests to answer questions from the audience.

This session is open to all RPCVs. All you need to participate is a computer (with sound) and a comfortable place to sit back and relax while you learn more about Peace Corps staff opportunities.

To sign up, visit: https://peacecorps.webex.com/peacecorps/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=682769903 and click on ‘register’.

In the meantime, don’t forget to check out RPCV Career Link, our interactive jobs board which connects you with other agencies, companies, and organizations looking to hire RPCVs. And be sure to check our career events calendar for future offerings (both in-person and remote): www.peacecorps.gov/rpcv/events.

Best Regards,

The Office of Third Goal and Returned Volunteer Services
rvs@peacecorps.gov
@PCThirdGoal

En-route to Colombia, I was hoping that both Rotary and Peace Corps would find value in working together on the project. First year volunteers Natally Rodriguez of Los Angeles and Jenna Glickman of Phoenix accompanied me to the Rotary meetings and it was quickly apparent that they are a good fit. Natally was already working with one of the Rotary partners and they found many points of mutual interest.

The Barranquilla Rotary Club will issue loans initially through CRILAP, an organization that provides corrective surgery and follow up support for families of children born with cleft palate and other facial defects, Bienestar Familiar which works with families of children with special needs/learning disabilities and with NuTres which serves families of malnourished children.From this core group, they plan to expand by including micro-entrepreneurs sponsored by members of the first group. A long-term vision is to involve additional Rotary Clubs in Colombia.

In addition to the excitement of opening a new program, The Colombia Project board views Rotary and Peace Corps involvement as significant steps towards creating a sustainable program within Colombia. If you have not yet donated through the Spring Fund Drive, please consider a visit to http://www.colombiaproject.org/to make a donation since we still need funds to support our regular Colombia Project partners.

I’m working with the University of Miami to help them locate a local Returned Peace Corps volunteer who could appear on a panel they are hosting on April 17th. They would like someone who is both a UM Alumni and a RPCV.

The topic of the panel is: Remaining Competitive in a Global Marketplace: Emerging Markets and Beyond.

This is the description that they have for the panel:
A company’s competitive landscape can change based on many different factors. For those spanning a global footprint, those factors can pose both opportunities and challenges. Emerging markets create the potential for quick growth, increased diversity and expansion to an internationally recognized brand. Panelists from different industries will discuss the advantages and challenges of globalization as well as ways to capitalize on these opportunities.

Ideally they would like someone who is currently working in Government or Business to represent Peace Corps on the panel. If you feel like you would be a good fit for this panel or if you might know another local Returned Volunteer who could represent us, please let me know right away.

The panel will be on the UM campus from 10:45am until Noon on April 17th with lunch afterwards. I just found out about this a couple of hours ago, so I would certainly appreciate any help.

Thanks for your help and hope to see you at the annual RPCV-SF invitee picnic on May 19th.

Steve

Steve Hunsicker
Recruiter | South Florida Office
Peace Corps |305-929-3066
shunsicker@peacecorps.gov
Upcoming Florida Recruiting Events | Join the Peace Corps e-mail list

]]> http://www.rpcvsf.org/looking-for-rpcv-to-speak-at-mast-academy/feed/ 0 http://www.rpcvsf.org/have-an-item-for-this-newsletter/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=have-an-item-for-this-newsletter http://www.rpcvsf.org/have-an-item-for-this-newsletter/#comments Fri, 05 Apr 2013 02:17:05 +0000 EmilyE http://www.rpcvsf.org/?p=996 Read More...]]> Posting your news to our email newsletter is a perk of membership with RPCVSF! All current members are welcome and encouraged to post things of interest to the RPCVSF community. If you want advertise a local event, send a personal update, or share a news item of interest, just go to the “For Members” section of the website at http://www.rpcvsf.org/for-members/ and log in. Click on “submit an article/event/photo and then paste your message in the box, and click submit. Once the moderator approves your post it will be visible on the website and will be included in the next email newsletter. Emails go out about every two weeks. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Please mark your calendars for this special occasion where we can support one if our own in her battle against cancer!

We would greatly appreciate your support!

Organizers:
Katherine Coder (2002-2004)
Mike Henry (2002-2004) & wife Michaela
Corey Lewis (2002-2004)
Renee Lewis (2001-2003)
TJ Lowery (2001-2003)

Details will be released shortly…

Mesi anpil! Thank you!