FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, May 2, 2008

Peace Corps Fellows/USA Partners with Cornell University

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 2, 2008 - The Peace Corps recently welcomed Cornell University as its newest Fellows/USA partner school. Cornell joins more than 45 other institutions in offering the Fellows/USA option to returned Peace Corps Volunteers. Cornells program, offered through the Department of City and Regional Planning, will grant successful Fellows masters degrees in regional planning (MRP).

Mildred Warner, Director of Graduate Studies at Cornell said, "We are very pleased to be able to partner with Peace Corps in the Fellows program. Returned Peace Corps Volunteers make excellent graduate students and we are excited to be able to place them to work with distressed urban communities here in New York as part of our Graduate Research Fellowship in Children, Family and Community Development Policymaking. The program has just been inaugurated and we have already been able to accept students into our Masters Program in Regional Planning here at Cornell University for next year. The field of urban planning is becoming increasingly important for Peace Corps, and the experience of returned Peace Corps Volunteers can be very helpful in distressed US communities. This partnership is good for all."

Volunteers who have satisfactorily completed their Peace Corps service will be eligible for the program which in addition to classwork will include a required summer placement with Cornell Urban Schools, a program that supports field placements with community organizations serving New York Citys most disadvantaged neighborhoods. Fellows admitted to the program will be granted a research stipend of $3,600 plus a $1,000 allowance for housing for their summer placement. Fellows will also be given tuition and stipend support.

Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter said, "I am enthusiastic about our new partnership with Cornell University. With this partnership, the Peace Corps will have the opportunity to further develop the skills of Volunteers in the area of urban and regional planning. I am confident that Cornell University will be a strong Fellows/USA partner."

An integral part of the Peace Corps Fellows/USA program is a substantive, degree-related internship in a high-need community. With their cross-cultural skills, adaptability, and desire to work for improvement, returned Volunteers are valuable assets at their universities. The program has established partnerships with more than 45 universities nationwide. As one of Peace Corps domestic programs, Fellows/USA enables returned Volunteers to pursue graduate degrees at a reduced cost while aiding underserved U.S. communities through internships. For more information about Fellows/USA, please visit the Peace Corps Web site at www.peacecorps.gov/fellows.

The Peace Corps is celebrating a 47-year legacy of service at home and abroad. Currently there are more than 8,000 Volunteers abroad, a 37-year high for Volunteers in the field. Since 1961, more than 190,000 Volunteers have helped promote a better understanding between Americans and the people of the 139 countries where Volunteers have served. Peace Corps Volunteers must be U.S. citizens and at least 18 years of age. Peace Corps service is a 27-month commitment.

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