Centers and Institutes
Peace Corps
About the Peace Corps
The Peace Corps provides an unparalleled opportunity to learn about other people, develop language and career skills, and help improve the quality of life for people in developing countries. The goals of the Peace Corps are to promote peace and stability through education and training; foster understanding of other peoples among Americans; and enhance other peoples' understanding of Americans.
About 7,000 volunteers currently serve in more than 70 countries around the world, and to date about 170,000 Americans have volunteered since its establishment in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy. Peace Corps is a government-funded non-profit organization with a headquarters in each respective partner country. Peace Corps must be invited into the country for this relationship to begin. Visit the Peace Corps website at www.peacecorps.gov.
2020
USF was ranked No. 2 for total graduate volunteers and No. 25 among undergraduate volunteers for large schools. Since the agency’s founding in 1961, more than 545 alumni from USF have served abroad as Peace Corps volunteers.
2019
USF was ranked No. 3 on Peace Corps' 2019 Top Volunteer-Producing Colleges and Universities list. The university was also No. 27 among large schools.
2018
Peace Corps announced that the University of South Florida ranked no. 19 among large schools on the agency's 2018 Top Volunteer-Producing Colleges and Universities list. USF also ranked No. 3 among graduate schools. There were 45 USF alumni volunteering worldwide.
2017
Peace Corps announced that the University of South Florida ranked No. 18 among large schools on the agency's 2017 Top Volunteer-Producing Colleges and Universities list. USF also ranked No. 3 among graduate schools.
2016
USF Tampa is a recognized "Top Producer" of Peace Corps Volunteers. Ranking 16th in the Nation (among universities larger than 15,000 students) for Peace Corps Volunteers in 2016.
The Peace Corps Coverdell Fellows Program, at the University of South Florida, is a Graduate Fellowship program awarding financial assistance to selected returned Peace Corps volunteers who are pursuing a master's degree. All Coverdell Fellows will complete internships in underserved communities in the Tampa Bay Area, while working under the supervision of faculty. The Fellows Program will also serve to advance the Peace Corps' Third Goal: To promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.
To qualify for a Coverdell Fellow, applicants must have satisfactorily completed their Peace Corps service and must meet the admission requirements of the four separate programs. More information, eligibility requirements, and deadlines for each program can be found by clicking on the specific College/Department below.
- College of Public Health | Fellows successfully completing the program will receive a Master of Public Health (MPH) or Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH).
- College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Anthropology | Fellows successfully completing the program will receive a Master of Arts in Applied Anthropology or a PhD in Applied Anthropology.
- College of Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering | Fellows successfully completing the program will receive a Master of Science in Civil Engineering or a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering.
- The Patel College of Global Sustainability | Fellows successfully completing the program will receive a Master of Arts in Global Sustainability, with a concentration in Building Sustainable Enterprise, Climate Change & Sustainability, Sustainable Policy, Entrepreneurship, Food Sustainability & Security, Sustainable Energy, Sustainable Tourism, Sustainable Transportation, OR Water.
- College of Nursing | The Peace Corps Coverdell Fellowship program, at USF College of Nursing, awards up to $4,000 in scholarship support to returning Peace Corps volunteers who are pursuing a degree in the Accelerated Second Degree (BSN) program, and professional licensure as a Registered Nurse (RN). In addition, Fellows will receive an out-of-state tuition waiver and opportunities to work as a student tutor.
Peace Corps Prep is a certificate program for undergraduates that centers on one empowering question: How can you prepare yourself to be the best Peace Corps Volunteer you can be?
>> Click here for more information about the Peace Corps Prep Program
Meet USF's Peace Corps Recruiter - Kristen Vogel
Kristen Vogel served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ghana from 2014-2016. While in Ghana, she taught Junior High School science subjects, as well as classes about information and communication technologies. As secondary projects, she contributed to the building of a community computer lab, co-led a nationwide leadership camp for Ghanaian students (STARS), and began a girls' empowerment yoga group for her students. Following her service with the Peace Corps, she received her yoga teacher certification in India. Kristen grew up in Pennsylvania and graduated with a BA from the University of Vermont (UVM). Most recently, Kristen has been living and working in Costa Rica as a program coordinator for UVM’s study abroad programs.
Kristen loves yoga, singing, horses, writing, hiking, people, and adventures. She is excited for her new adventure at USF, as both a cultural anthropology graduate student and as USF’s dedicated Peace Corps campus recruiter. She looks forward to meeting a wonderful new generation of potential Peace Corps Volunteers, hearing their stories, and following their journeys around the world!
Raising Awareness of Opportunities for Peace Corps Service Among the USF Community and Beyond
Contact Information
Email: peacecorps@usf.edu
Phone: 813-974-9948
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USF World, Attn: Peace Corps // 4202 East Fowler Avenue, CGS 101 // Tampa, FL 33620