Page 82 - ARAlbumsWesternNYAlumniChapter1968-1992
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'The Peace Corps' purpose is the this school year, is the flratstab at
same as when John F. Kennedy created opening the Peace Corps to graduates
it in 1961 - to send U.S. volunteers of community colleges. And it offers
abroad for two years to help developing incentives, just like the military. .
nations with health care, food, shelter Students selected - and 80 far the
RICHARD and education. Today about 6,000 vol- school has plans for seven Hispanics'
PRINCE
unteers and trainees are in 73 countries. and three African Americans - carr
This is not
WHAT'S new - and what's missing join the Peace Corps after their two
your father's in Rochester - is the domestic part. years of .eollege, provided they are
skilled in such areas as auto or aeronau-'
Peace Corps A new Peace Corps Fellows Program
hands out 400 scholarships a year for tical mechanics, nursing, accounting;'
Barbara Zartman, former chairwom-
former volunteers to work in "high- horticulture or medical technology. '
an of Monroe County's Republican
party and time-tested George Bush risk" schools and communities while The students earn 30 college credits
supporter, flew back to Rochester
'Thursday in her latest incarnation - they study for advanced degrees. for their Peace Corps work, and on'
deputy director of the Peace Corps.
Rochester isn't taking part. One rea- their return, they're guaranteed admis-
'The Peace Corps is celebrating its
30th anniversary this month, and Zart- son: No demand; there's no teacher sion to the senior class of the City
man invited about 200 local Peace shortage here, Zartman said. Another: University of New York.
Corps veterans for hors d'oeuvres at the
downtown Holiday Inn. . New York makes it too difficult for the Meanwhile, the Peace Corps puq
away $5,000 in the bank for them.
Just one showed up. volunteers to become certified to teach.
And Angela Easley said she almost Also new is the World Wise Schools Added attraction: Not only do em-
didn't go. 'Though the invitations were
mailed a week in advance, the Postal program, aimed at expanding school- ployers value Peace Corps vets, but;
. -Service's ice-storm-inspired .decision
not to deliver mail Monday and Tues- kids' knowledge of geography, interns- some federal agencies automatically'
.day meant that many alumni, herself
included, didn't get them till that day. tiona! affairs and volunteerism. put them at the head of the hiring list; .
A pity, because Zartman deserved an Two thousand Peace Corps volun- The best incentive of all, of course, is
teers from around the world swap mail, the Peace Corps experience itself.
audience. She was saying, in effect, that newsletters and videocassettes with
this is not your father's Peace Corps. 60,000 U.S. grade school students. AT THE Holiday Inn, Angela Easley'
. The updated version is carving out told Zartman and me how the Peace.
more of a role for Peace Corps veterans. This isn't in Rochester, either. Ef- Corps had changed her and her hus-
, Best of all, the corps is becoming
more. ~clusive - rmding ways to in- forts to set up a Peace Corps presence
clude people who haven't graduated
from college but still have a lot to offer. here - with an office at the University band's lives. She was .aphysical thera-:
of Rochester ataffed by a Peace Corps' pist; her husband, Michael. a video-:
During the Gulf crisis, some called
people in that category "ecouomic alumnus - have failed. , . grapher.. They- served in Morocco:
draftees." Only the military offered
them job training, college money and So have attempts to organize area: together from 1984 to 1987. ';:
ready cash. Peace didn't have a chance.
Peace Corps alumni. . Not only did the stint convince her to-
'That was one thing Zartman hoped .choose public health as a career, she:
to get going 'Thursday. That's one rea- said, but the Peace Corps way of doing·
son she says she'll return. . things made such an impression that
I HOPE she brings good news about today she shuns working for "competi-·
the- remarkable experiment at Bronx tive" health-care organizations that
Community College in New York City. don't value working with communities.,
As ·for Michael, he shed corporate
It' to h . th P Co
unlesss youug hatovegeat siknill ien deeamceand rbpys suits for the casual wear of an artist, she
the developing country. Nine times out
'.said. He's pursuing a master's degree In-
of ten, that requires a college degree. fine arts at Rochester Institute of Teeh-:
Moreover, the Corps picks only 3,000 nology and will soon show his videos on-
people a year from 16,000 applicants. "cross-cultural experiences" in publie-
These facts of life have led not only space on St. Paul Street.
to a Peace Corps that's somewhat elit- Amazing what happens when peace
ist, but one that until very recently . breaks out.
hasn't been racially diverse. . Prince is -a Democrat and Chronicle
The Bronx pilot program, started and Times-Union columnist.
o CONSGI()US CONSCIENCE:
Cross Cultural Art. Michael Boone
Easley chose that title-to reflect the in.
fluence on. his art of his years as Peace
Corps worker in North Africa. Current.
ly studying for his Master of Fine Arts
degree at Rochester Institute of Tech-
nology, Easley hasa show up through
. Saturday at RIT's City Center, 50 W.
Main St. It includes a primitive throne
covered with straw and Eastman Ko-
dak Co. film boxes, and a life-sized ma-
donna and child. paved with flattened
: Coca-Cola Classic cans .... The work of
13 other MFA candidates - including
Rochesterian Catherine Lasch Ram- .
din ..:...i.s displayed through tomorrow
.in RITs Bevier Gallery. , ..
