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Peace Corps anniversary events planned

February 27, 2001

The Peace Corps will celebrate its 40th anniversary this Thursday and Friday, March 1-2, and honor the nearly 2,500 alumni of UW–Madison who have served in the volunteer organization started by President John F. Kennedy.

For several years, UW–Madison has been the No. 1 supplier of volunteers to the Peace Corps among the nation’s colleges and universities.

Peace Corps officials say the anniversary events “will focus on the role of service in today’s world, including its impact on career decisions for recent college graduates.” They are sponsored on campus by the Morgridge Center for Public Service and the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

Among the public events:

  • Peace Corps roundtable discussion, noon Thursday, Memorial Union Great Hall, 800 Langdon St. Twenty UW–Madison faculty members, most of whom are Peace Corps alumni, will discuss with small groups of students service careers in different fields.
  • “A Call to Service Now!” public forum, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Memorial Union Great Hall. Community leaders will discuss the future of public service. Panelists, all of whom are former Peace Corps volunteers, include Linda Barrows, superintendent, Oregon (Wis.) School District; Jessica Doyle, teacher, Madison Metropolitan School District; James Doyle, Wisconsin attorney general; Ken Hill, Peace Corps chief of staff (acting) and chief of operations for Europe, Mediterranean and Asia; Lucia Nuñez, director of Centro Hispano; Vince O’Hern, publisher of Isthmus; and Burt Preston, a recently returned volunteer.
  • Plaque presentation and signing of joint Peace Corps/UW-Madison master’s degree program, 5 p.m. Friday, Red Gym Masley Media Room, 716 Langdon St. The plaque will honor the UW–Madison students who have served in the Peace Corps since 1961. The event includes the formal signing of the Master’s Internationalist program between UW–Madison and the Peace Corps. Students in the program will combine Peace Corps service with their graduate studies.

For a complete schedule of public events or more information on the Peace Corps 40th anniversary, contact Patrick Ganey of the Peace Corps, (612) 812-0293; Jon Simon, UW–Madison Peace Corps campus representative, (608) 262-1121; or Mary Rouse, Morgridge Center director, (608) 262-0787.

For information on the joint master’s program, contact Richard Barrows, CALS associate dean, (608) 262-3003.