Our Peace Corps, I want to emphasize, is not designed as a weapon of propaganda, is not designed as a tool in the cold war. It is a genuine effort by the people of the United States, particularly those who are young, to play their part in working for peace and in improving the lives of all mankind.
John F. Kennedy,
Universal Newsreel
Is the Peace Corps less necessary for the 21st century than during the years when Kennedy started it? Is the Peace Corps needed at all, now that there is no cold war? Can we prove what their presence contributes to the American Economy? Or to American politics? Have we changed anything in America profoundly for the better?
Sargent Shriver, at 35th Anniversary of Peace Corps
We need Americans who can speak other languages, understand other cultures, have a perspective that includes other world views. We need Americans who can help us develop relationships with people of other countries, and help them build positive relationships with the United States and have positive perceptions of Americans.
Carrie Hessler-Radelet, Acting Peace Corps Director
“What other peoples most need from America is a country that understands the very complex, challenging world that we now live in.”
Harris Wofford,
Co-Founder of the Peace Corps and Former United States Senator
“What is required is leadership that is inspired and that is not risk adverse.”
Bill Josephson,
Founding General Counsel of the Peace Corps
“When I first got to Congress, we were going into Afghanistan after 9/11. And we had the Afghan Peace Corps Volunteers who had just been removed from the country, because we were going to invade it. They were there at 9/11. They were in Afghanistan. And you know what they wanted to do? They wanted to go right back.”
Sam Farr,
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and United States Representative
“There are many organizations that do any one of these three goals, or any two of these three goals, but not all three of them. And so what happens when you combine the three goals you're creating this unique animal… that's Peace Corp.”
Jody Olsen,
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and Former Deputy Director of the Peace Corps
“Those Peace Corps Volunteers come home, back to the United States. And they bring with them the knowledge of the world. They bring with them an understanding.”
John Garamendi,
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and United States Representative
“We are taught that we are not the experts. Part of the whole Peace Corps culture is that we are human beings going to share an experience with the people in some other interesting other part of the world. We'll learn from them. They'll learn from us. We teach each other.”
Charles "Chic" Dambach,
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and Former President of the National Peace Corps Associaton
“If more Americans had a better understanding of the rest of the world and other people had a better understanding of Americans, I think that we would all be better of.”
Allison O'Donnell,
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Honduras
“ It's one of the few things left that represents an era that we wish still existed.”
Nancy Tongue,
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and Founder of Health Justice for Peace Corps Volunteers
“I think that soft side of the American civilization, of the American culture is extremely powerful, extremely important.”
Surin Pitsuwan,
Former Foreign Minister of Thailand
“The Peace Corps was a big breakthrough, because we got outside the big cities into parts of the country where people had never had any interaction with Americans or with any foreigners except colonists.”
Roger Landrum,
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and Founder of Youth Service America
“Peace Corps Volunteers put themselves out there. We sacrifice. And we do it for the objective of a better world. That's certainly worth honoring.”
Mike Tidwell,
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and Founder and Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network
Matt Losak, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and Director at NLC
Beth Brownfield, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Honduras
Fatimah Saleem, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Botswana (2009 – 2011), Eastern Caribbean and Antigua (2003-2004), Malawi (2000 – 2001) — PC Response, Mozambique (1998-2000)
Anita Siegel,
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and Retired Public Health Director for Alameda County
Virginia Gilbert, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and Professor Emerita at Alabama A&M University
Ashley Vass and Bradley Clawson, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Honduras – Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Honduras
Randolph "Randy" Adams, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and Former Peace Corps Staff
Antoinette and Frank Almaguer, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer - Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and Retired Foreign Service
Claire Pestak (and Amina), Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Honduras
Jerry Bauer, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, Director of International Programs, International Institute of Tropical Forestry-Puerto Rico, US Forest Service
Ione Adams, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, and Family Physician, Seamar Community Health Center, Bellingham, WA
Nancy Aker Chaplin and Tom Chaplin, Returned Peace Corps Volunteers; Nancy is retired from the American Red Cross. Tom is retired State Park Manager, Ohio State Parks.
Judy Troutman, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and Spanish Translator
Raymond Swan, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, Author, and Professor Emeritus in Mental Health, Tulane University
Peter Newell, US Public Health Service Peace Corps Physician; Honduras, 1965 - 1967
Thomas Camero, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and Civil Engineer
Timothy Will, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and Conflict Resolution Consultant, Catalpa Partners
