GLOBAL NETWORK

The Peace Corps Fellows Program
in Applied Community and Economic Development
at Illinois State University

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

     The Peace Corps Fellows Program at Illinois State University (ISU) helps rural and urban communities across the United States with their vital community and economic development needs. It also enhances the skills of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) who hope to be part of a new generation of development specialists.
     RPCVs are enrolled in a Master's degree program which emphasizes community and economic development. To graduate, Fellows must complete one year of full-time classwork and a second year of full-time, hands-on internship with communities concerned about their own development.
     The Applied Community and Economic Development (ACED) Fellows Program at ISU recruits students with at least one year of domestic or international community development experience. ACED Fellows and Peace Corps Fellows share the same core curriculum and graduation requirements within each department.

PLACEMENTS AND PROJECTS

     Fellows work in urban and rural communities across the United States. The 35-hours-per-week, 11-month paid internship placements have included rural and medium-sized communities in Illinois; high-poverty areas of rural Illinois, Texas, Washington, Kentucky, Mississippi and Nebraska; and urban placements in Chicago, Illinois. Placement sites change each year, depending on site availability.
     Projects vary in each community, but the reaction to Fellows' drive and sensitivity to local needs has been nearly universal. Community leaders hosting a Fellow believe these students offer needed skills which bolster local development efforts and provide an organizational "spark" which moves them toward action.
     Fellows have provided their skill and energy to the following community initiatives, among others:


     ISU faculty with technical skill and experience provide help to Fellows and communities for specialized projects in the field. These individuals have skills in areas including data analysis, communications, economic development, planning, small business development, tourism, and other skills important to communities.

     For more information, visit lilt.ilstu.edu/uced/pc_fellows.htm or contact:

Director
Unit for Community and Economic Development
Illinois State University
Campus Box 4200
Normal, IL 61790-4200
Ph: (309) 438-8685 Fax: (309) 438-5228
email: ucedinfo@ilstu.edu

HOME