Five University of Nebraska–Lincoln students have earned a certificate from the Peace Corps for completing the Peace Corps Prep program.

Launched in September 2021, Nebraska’s Peace Corps Prep program integrates coursework, hands-on experience and professional development, preparing undergraduates for international development fieldwork and potential Peace Corps service by building four core competencies: sector-specific skills, foreign language proficiency, intercultural competence, and professional savvy and leadership. Each student focuses on one Peace Corps sector: agriculture, community economic development, education, environment, health or youth in development.

Students can take the Intercultural Development Inventory assessment upon acceptance and completion, receive a study abroad scholarship up to $5,000, and engage with peers and local returned Peace Corps volunteers through events, mentorship and group volunteer experiences. Certificate recipients gain a competitive edge when applying for Peace Corps service.

The latest recipients represent three academic colleges and four Peace Corps sectors. Upon graduation, three will continue their studies in graduate school, one will pursue employment, and one will teach English in Japan through the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program.

Following is a list of students who completed Peace Corps Prep in spring 2024, listed alphabetically by hometown, with their academic major(s), college(s) and Peace Corps sector.

Nebraska

• Falls City: Chelsea Hanway, anthropology, College of Arts and Sciences, environment
• Omaha: Tyler Freimuth, German, global studies and history, College of Arts and Sciences, education

Elsewhere

• Fairview Heights, Illinois: Mariah May, political science (pre-law), College of Arts and Sciences, youth in development
• Ankeny, Iowa: Kaitlyn Richards, fisheries and wildlife, and environmental studies, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, environment
• Yaounde, Cameroon: Jeannine Martine Akamba, advertising and public relations, College of Journalism and Mass Communications, community economic development

The Global Experiences Office administers the Peace Corps Prep program in partnership with the School of Global Integrative Studies. The program is open to undergraduate students from any college. Students from traditionally underrepresented communities are strongly encouraged to apply. International students may complete the Peace Corps Prep program, but applicants to serve in the Peace Corps must be U.S. citizens. To learn more, click here or contact Rebecca Baskerville at rlbaskerville@unl.edu.