Peace Corps Week to feature National Teacher of the Year

UW-Madison will celebrate the 58th anniversary of the establishment of Peace Corps with a week of events, headlined by 2018 National Teacher of the Year and Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Mandy Manning, Feb. 26–March 2.

Manning, who was named 2018 National Teacher of the Year, served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Armenia from 1999 to 2001. Manning, who teaches at Joel E. Ferris High School in Spokane, Washington, has been lauded for her work teaching English to refugee and immigrant students, while also helping them connect to the community and celebrate their cultures.

Manning will present a talk, “Teaching as a Means of Social Justice; Thinking Globally and Acting Locally,” 6–7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 26, in the Wisconsin Idea Room, Education Building. The event is free and open to the public.

Several additional events are planned for the week, including the popular Peace Corps Story Slam at 7 p.m. on Feb. 27, at Hotel Red. The story slam features returned volunteers sharing their experiences from serving around the world. Aspiring volunteers can learn how to submit their application at the Peace Corps Writing Workshop at 4 p.m. on Feb. 28 in 6171 Helen C. White. An open house will be held to commemorate the executive order forming Peace Corps, 1–4 p.m., on Mar. 1 in Bascom Hall, room 260. The week wraps up with the annual Freeze for Food 5k and 10k, beginning at noon on March 2 at the Vilas Park ice skating shelter.

“Through Peace Corps, UW–Madison alumni expand the Wisconsin Idea to beyond the borders of the country,” said Kate Schachter, UW–Madison campus recruiter. “We look forward to celebrating the spirit of service and volunteerism that campus recruits have brought to the Peace Corps for the past 58 years.”

The university is the #2 producer of volunteers of all time, and for the past two years in a row has been recognized by Peace Corps for more volunteers coming from UW–Madison than any other institution. Since 1961, 3,279 alumni from UW–Madison have joined Peace Corps to serve people and communities around the world. More than 6,300 Wisconsinites have served as Peace Corps volunteers.

Learn more about the Peace Corps at UW–Madison and Peace Corps Week at peacecorps.wisc.edu.

The Peace Corps sends Americans with a passion for service abroad on behalf of the United States to work with communities and create lasting change. Volunteers develop sustainable solutions to address challenges in education, health, economic development, agriculture, environment and youth development. Through their Peace Corps experience, volunteers gain a unique cultural understanding and a life-long commitment to service that positions them to succeed in today’s global economy. Since the founding of Peace Corps, more than 235,000 Americans of all ages have served in 141 countries worldwide. For more information, visit peacecorps.gov.