
Robin Rhodes
Director of ESOL and Multilingual Student Academic Support
For two years in a row, St. Lawrence University has ranked as #1 among small colleges and universities for the number of alumni serving as Peace Corps volunteers.
The Peace Corps is a service opportunity for motivated changemakers to immerse themselves in a community, working side by side with local leaders to tackle the most pressing challenges of our generation, and aligns well with St. Lawrence University's history of service, global mission, and applied learning.
The Peace Corps mission is to promote world peace and friendship by fulfilling three goals:
Peace Corps volunteers serve in over sixty countries. Learn more through the Peace Corps website and read about St. Lawrence University's history as one of the top institutions producing Peace Corps volunteers.
St. Lawrence University’s Peace Corps Prep Program (PCPP) will help you acquire the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to serve in the U.S. Peace Corps. The program is open to both domestic and international students as the program works to increase your competitiveness in the job market by expanding global awareness and preparing you for international careers. Participants build knowledge and skills through coursework, service learning, and field work. By choosing the path of the PCPP, students will join a community of those dedicated to international service and collaboration. Each student meeting the requirements will also earn a Peace Corps Prep certificate from the United States Peace Corps. Please note, completion of the Peace Corps Prep Certificate does not guarantee placement as a Peace Corps volunteer; however, it will strengthen your application.
Apply for the Peace Corps Prep Certificate Program
I believe it is next to impossible to leave [St. Lawrence] without wanting change or making change in some capacity.
- Cheyenne Tardie '18, Peace Corps Volunteer in Albania
A PDF copy of the Student Guide outlining the requirements of the Peace Corps Prep Certificate is available to download and print. Hard copies of the Student Guide are also available upon request from the Program Coordinator for the Peace Corps Prep Certificate, Robin Rhodes.
The Peace Corps Prep program is open to students of any major, and you must be in good standing (minimum 2.8GPA) at SLU prior to applying. You do not need to be a U.S. citizen to participate in the program, but you must have U.S. citizenship to serve in the Peace Corps. Those with other citizenship status may go on to be employed in their home country by the US Peace Corps.
Students in the Peace Corps Prep certificate program engage in a wide range of skill-building experiences, including coursework, research, and volunteer and leadership activities. The program is interdisciplinary, while preparing students for future experiences in complex international settings. Students can use coursework already required for majors and minors and build a program that fits their career trajectory and secure volunteer and/or work experience here or in their home area. Students must choose a specific work sector and be prepared to maintain that focus. Students in the Peace Corps Prep certificate program will be advised by the Peace Corps Prep Program Coordinator as they fulfill the requirements of the following four components: