3 Questions
Christopher Wooleyhand, Ph.D.
How The Peace Corps Changed My Life
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​Dr. Mike Robinson, host of 3 Questions interviewed Christopher Wooleyhand, Ph.D. the impact participating in Peace Corps had on is life.

What is the Peace Corps?  Why did you join?

The Peace Corps was founded by former President John F. Kennedy.  Since 1961, over 220,000 Americans have served in countries all over the world.  Volunteers provide support to developing countries in fields where assistance is needed.  The roles are varied, but include education, health, business, agriculture, the environment, and youth development.
 
The mission of the Peace Corps is to:
 
  • Help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women
  • Help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served
  • Help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans
 
I joined in 1987 after graduating from Towson University.  I had a strong desire to help others, to be a part of something bigger than my small world.  It was a great chance to travel and to discover other cultures.  I was assigned to St. Kitts/Nevis in the West Indies as a member of an education team on the island.  It’s a decision I have never regretted and one that shaped my beliefs to this day.

30 years ago, I joined the Peace Corps and was assigned to the tiny island nation of St. Kitts/Nevis
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How did the Peace Corps impact your life and especially as it related to your education?
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I am sure that most volunteers will tell you that service in the Peace Corps is a life-changing experience.  It certainly was for me.  I came out of college with a strong desire to make a difference.  The Peace Corps was a great avenue for that.  Are we ever more idealistic than when we graduate from college?  Living alone, travelling, meeting people from all over the world, these were eye-opening experiences for a young man from a rural Maryland county.  St. Kitts was an amazing island.  I learned much more from the people in my village (Sandy Point) than they ever did from me.  I learned that Americans aren’t always viewed positively or accurately.  I learned that developing countries have a strong sense of culture and a pride that needs to be respected.  Our education team was passionate and dedicated and working with them reinforced my desire to grow professionally.  I flew to Antigua in 1988 and took my GREs so that I could attend graduate school after my service was complete.  I am certain that my Peace Corps service helped me get into graduate school at Northern Illinois University and earn a teaching assistant position.  For me, service in the Peace Corps was a seminal moment that in many small ways influenced every decision that followed.
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Do you believe that the mission of the Peace Corps is relevant in today’s world?  Would you encourage young people to explore opportunities available with the Peace Corps?

The Peace Corps is as relevant today, if not more so, than when it began.  I could go on and on, but Americans must make an effort to understand the world through first-hand experiences.  While technology seems to have made the world smaller, it also keeps us isolated.  I can’t think of a better opportunity to explore other countries and cultures than through Peace Corps service.  It’s such an adventure.  Service in the Peace Corps changes the lens through which you see the world.  When you live in another country and see the impact of poverty on people you care about, you are forever changed.  The most obvious outcome of Peace Corps service is that you discover how much people have in common.  We are far more alike than different.  It’s a little ironic that I had to travel out of the country to discover that, but that’s what the Peace Corps does and for that I am forever grateful.