Metropolitan State University announces Peace Corps baccalaureate degree

-- Vickie Evans-Nash

Monday, Oct. 23, Metropolitan State University officially announced that it will offer the first and only Peace Corps baccalaureate degree program offered in the United States.

In recognition of this collaboration, a Global Launch Event was held in the St. Paul Campus Great Hall. Among the attendees were several Peace Corps volunteers.

President Wilson Bradshaw began the event by introducing Roxanne Denysiuk, a Metropolitan State University student, and Carol Lacey, a community faculty member.

Denysiuk had become frustrated with obstacles she encountered while working toward her degree and volunteering in a host country. Once she returned to the U.S., she had been required to complete the registration process a second time.

The idea of this program was developed as both she and Lacey worked toward finding a way to make the process less troublesome. Lacey played a key role in joining the two organizations as a result of assisting a student.

Denysiuk is expected to complete her degree and graduate in Spring 2007.

Ronald A. Tschetter, the recently appointed director of the Peace Corps and a long-time Minnesota resident, expressed his exuberance about the new partnership during his speech at the Global Launch Event. He paraphrased the Peace Corps’ three mission statements: "To take skills to countries in need; to give insight of Americans to other parts of the world; and to bring back insight to Americans through returning volunteers." Their goals have remained constant since the formation of the Peace Corps in 1961. Tschetter said he believes that the diversity of our nation should be reflected in its volunteers. He is convinced that the skills our students have to offer and the diversity of our student population are factors that serve the Peace Corps and host countries well. In turn, Metropolitan State students may receive the most rewarding experiences of their lives while serving with the Peace Corps.

This degree plan is offered through First College. Daniel Abebe, dean of First College, spoke of his personal experiences with the Peace Corps during his youth. He grew up in Debere Markos, a town in Ethiopia. Many of his high school teachers were Peace Corps volunteers, and he was grateful for the experiences he shared with them. Abebe said he looks forward to being a part of offering this unique opportunity to Metropolitan State University students and the people they will come in contact with in their host countries.

Through the Peace Corps, a volunteer may serve in 75 different countries, in several different fields of study. As part of the Peace Corps Baccalaureate Degree program, a student may either do course work online or through mail where Internet access is not available.

To begin the process students are required to complete both the Metropolitan State University and Peace Corps registration processes. Students who have completed the first two years of coursework can work toward obtaining their four-year degree abroad.

Metropolitan State University is currently accepting applications.