by Leslie Linehan Betts
News Reporter
Last year, more than 133,000 Americans called, wrote or sent e-mail asking for information about serving as a Peace Corps volunteer, a record number for the organization.
The resurgence of interest in the Peace Corps disproves the notion that young people today are apathetic, said Peace Corps director Mark Gearan. "We hear from young people who explode the myth of Generation X. Instead of the image of grungers who are jaded, cynical, easily bored and not up to the challenges facing this country, we see thousands of young people striving and struggling to make a difference."
Cher Murphy, a senior anthropology major, said she applied for the Peace Corps in March. "I applied to the Peace Corps because I want to make a difference in the world. We are a global community and we have a certain responsibility to that community."
University of Texas School of Public Health doctoral student Ruth Grubesic said she joined the Peace Corps to work as a nursing teacher in Nepal.
"I joined because I care about other people. I also wanted to learn about other cultures and I was interested in traveling," Grubesic said.
Regardless of assignment, Peace Corps volunteers are likely to face many challenges. Many live without electricity and running water. The biggest challenge Grubesic faced on her assignment was experiencing frequent intestinal disorders, due to crowded living conditions and poor sanitation practices in Nepal. She also said she missed amenities such as toilets and cold milk.
Murphy said she was ready for whatever challenges Peace Corps service may bring. "I know I may not have any indoor plumbing, but I will remember my commitment to the Peace Corps. Sometimes we must live by our commitments rather than by our wants and our needs."
In Nepal, Grubesic said, she gained an understanding and acceptance of other culture. "I came back with so much more than I was able to give," Grubesic said. "My experience gave me an appreciation of other people and it opened up my mind. I see more of the whole picture."
Not everyone who joins the Peace Corps has a good experience. Twenty-five percent of Peace Corps volunteers terminate their tour of duty before completing two years of service. "Some people get homesick or the conditions are not what they expected," Grubesic said.
Adaptability is the key to a good experience in the Peace Corps, Grubesic said. "You have to be very flexible. You may think you are going to teach science, but you end up building a new school."
Since President John F. Kennedy assigned the executive order creating the Peace Corps in 1961, more than 140,000 Americans have joined. Kennedy created the Peace Corps with three goals: to promote world peace and friendship by making available to interested countries Americans willing to serve overseas who will help people of these countries meet their needs for trained manpower; to help promote a better understanding of the American people; and to promote a better understanding of other people on the part of the Americans.
Today, more than 6,500 Peace Corps volunteers serve in 91 countries around the world. Peace Corps volunteers provide assistance in education, health and nutrition, agriculture, environment and small business development.
The notion of service is one many students may find appealing. The Peace Corps ranks third in the nation in recruiting college graduates for 1997, according to a recent survey of employers and businesses conducted by Black Collegian.