Florida International University (FIU) proudly announces a Peace Corps Legacy achievement. To commemorate FIU’s 10-year commitment to the Peace Corps Prep program, FIU received a coveted Peace Corps Bell. The Peace Corps Bell is typically rung at the completion of a volunteer’s service to celebrate their skill, training, passion, and grit in co-creating change with their hosts in their community of service. At FIU, it will be rung for all Peace Corps Prep graduates as well as for students who achieve the Global Learning Medallion and other global learning awards.
Established in October 2014, the Peace Corps Prep program provides students with global competencies, essential leadership skills, and specialized knowledge. Through coursework and activities centered around the six sectors of the Peace Corps— Agriculture, Community Economic Development, Education, Environment, Health, and Youth in Development—students gain valuable insights.
Dr. Hilary Landorf, Assistant Vice President of the Office of Global Learning Initiatives at FIU, unveiled the Peace Corps Bell during a ceremony attended by Global Learning students on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. This was a full circle moment for Landorf, as she herself is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, who served as an English as a Foreign Language teacher in a public high school in Oujda, Morocco. Landorf was accompanied by Global Learning Sr. Program Coordinator, Jhonery Mendoza-Farjun, who rang the bell for each recipient, and Global Learning Assistant Director, Connie Penczak, Master of Ceremonies at the event.
Since its inauguration at FIU, the Peace Corps Prep program has recognized 33 graduates, many of whom have gone on to serve in diverse regions, including the Caribbean, South America, Africa, and Asia. Graduates have also found employment with international agencies and companies such as Freedom House, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and Global Ties Miami.
Peace Corps Prep is open to all undergraduate degree-seeking students at FIU. Interested students can find the sign-up form at the Office of Global Learning Initiatives website.