Peace Corps Prep, a new undergraduate certificate program, will provide University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa students immersive experiences that promote dynamic dialogue on the issues of conflict resolution and peace studies. Students in the program, scheduled to launch in January 2018, will combine targeted coursework with hands-on experience, building the competencies needed to be strong Peace Corps volunteers or other intercultural fieldworkers.
The program was developed by the College of Social Sciences and the Peace Corps and is administered by the college’s Spark M. Matsunaga Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (MIPCR). Peace Corps Prep will be structured as an interdisciplinary certificate program designed to provide opportunities for students to extend their reach beyond Hawaiʻi. Students will learn and practice leadership, intercultural competence and foreign language in a professional sector of their choice such as education, health or the environment. These skills will give them a competitive edge when applying for Peace Corps service, and can be built upon and marketed throughout their careers.
“This collaboration between the college and the Peace Corps provides wonderful opportunities for our students to immerse themselves abroad in cross-cultural understanding and collaborative problem-solving,” said Maya Soetoro-Ng, MIPCR director. “It fosters an expansive way of thinking that is critical in a world of global interconnectedness, and allows students to broaden their horizons beyond our shores and enables them to share the gift of themselves, their culture and their insights with individuals from many nations.”
For more information about Peace Corps Prep or to apply, contact Peace Corps Prep Coordinator José Barzola at uhip@hawaii.edu.
Read the news release for more.
