FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday, February 13, 2003

Peace Corps Regional Director Visits North Carolina Schools

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 13, 2003—Peace Corps’ Africa Regional Director, Henry McKoy, is on a two-day recruitment tour in North Carolina February 13-15, 2002. His efforts will focus on strengthening minority recruitment and increasing the number of community college graduates serving in the Peace Corps.

Currently, community colleges educate more than half the nation’s undergraduates and career professionals. Nearly half of all these students are minorities. McKoy’s itinerary includes engagements at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Edgecombe Community College, Nash Community College, North Carolina Central University, Shaw University, and St. Augustine College.

As a native North Carolinian, McKoy is proud to see the ongoing growth and the opportunities Peace Corps provides not only for the volunteer, but the volunteer’s community upon his or her return. Nearly 3,000 North Carolinians have served in the Peace Corps in as many as 136 countries since 1961. Currently, there are 182 North Carolinians serving in the Peace Corps. Eight colleges and universities in North Carolina ranked on the list of schools producing the greatest number of Peace Corps volunteers in 2002.

McKoy has a long and distinguished history of service to the state of North Carolina. In 1995, he was elected to the state Senate in North Carolina. Previously, he served as Deputy Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Administration. McKoy also served as Director of the North Carolina Human Relations Commission and as Executive Director of the Greensboro, North Carolina Human Relations Commission.

A graduate of North Carolina A&T State University with a bachelors degree in Political Science and a masters degree in History Education, McKoy served as Adjunct Instructor at the University of North Carolina’s Institute of Government, and as Adjunct Instructor at North Carolina State University, teaching courses on local and state government.

Since 1961, more than 168,000 volunteers have served in the Peace Corps, working in such diverse fields as education, health, HIV/AIDS education and awareness, information technology, business development, the environment, and agriculture. Peace Corps volunteers must be U.S. citizens and at least 18 years of age. Peace Corps service is a two-year commitment.

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