As Peace Corps marks 60th anniversary, local volunteers reflect on their service: 'It changed me tremendously' - TribLIVE

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As the Peace Corps commemorated its 60th anniversary this month, the agency launched a virtual celebration, and local residents who have volunteered over the years reflected on their service.

Established by President John F. Kennedy on March 1, 1960, the Peace Corps has sent about 240,000 Americans to serve in more than 140 nations.

“The past 60 years have truly prepared us for this historic moment,” acting Peace Corps Director Carol Spahn said. “During a pandemic that has touched every corner of the globe, it’s clear that we are all in this together. I know the Peace Corps will continue to be a community of people — all over the world — willing to do the hard work of promoting peace and friendship.”

More than 8,700 Pennsylvania residents have served as Peace Corps volunteers, according to Daysi Morales, the regional Peace Corps recruiter for Philadelphia and Central Pennsylvania. “Pennsylvania is ranked seventh highest in our states when it comes to participation from volunteers,” she said.

Tom Niggel of Greensburg served in the Peace Corps in Honduras from 1967 through 1969, working with local educators.

The education system there at the time, he explained, was poor. Children typically attended school up to sixth grade, and many teachers had only a sixth grade education. They relied heavily on books from Cuba and Spain.

Niggel’s work involved helping local educators create their own books and ensuring those materials were delivered to schools.

“We would go in and help the teachers to teach,” he said. “I would illustrate teacher training materials. We would go in and show them how they could teach math with simple things like nuts and stones and sticks.”

While in Honduras, Niggel met his wife, a British volunteer who was working at a hospital there.

But that’s not the only reason Niggel’s time in the Peace Corps was life-changing.

“I thought I was going to teach the world, and it was me who learned,” he said. “I think they taught me a lot. It changed me tremendously.”

Jessica Rafferty of Unity also served in Honduras with the Peace Corps. She worked in the country in 2005 and 2006.

“I was a youth development volunteer, but you could basically do anything you wanted to do to help your community, so I taught at a local school,” said Rafferty, a Greensburg lawyer. “I helped teach some English classes and some health education.”

She also put a business degree to good use.

“There was a local artisan who had a really cool little shop in her village, so I helped her try to get her items in the capital city so she would get more exposure,” Rafferty said.

Serving in the Peace Corps was challenging, Rafferty said. Her homesickness was exacerbated by poor phone reception that made it hard to call home. Clean water was scarce, and she was contending with a language barrier as she honed her Spanish skills.

“It is somewhat of a sacrifice, but it really gives you so much more than anything you would lose,” Rafferty said. “It really is a tremendous experience.”

Meeting people from a different background was eye-opening and emphasized the importance of open-mindedness, Rafferty said.

“The people truly were some of the kindest people you would ever meet in your life,” she said. “They had very little, but they were so very generous, not only with whatever they had but also with their time and a willingness to get to know you and make you feel welcome.”

The trip gave her a sense of perspective, Rafferty said.

“Everybody complains about such trivial things, and these people, they had what I would perceive to be major hurdles to overcome. But they really just valued their family and their friends. I think that’s a huge lesson. Those really are some of the most important parts of your life,” Rafferty said.

Rafferty said anyone who’s interested in joining the Peace Corps should talk to those who have already been through the program. That’s how she became interested.

“I think for most people, it was a challenging time but it was also a really fulfilling one. I think most people are happy to share those experiences,” she said.

Scott Spencer, a New Kensington native living in Washington, D.C., highlighted the challenges and benefits of his time in the Peace Corps. Spencer was in Gambia in West Africa from 2011 through 2013.

“It felt like a fun adventure to take at the time,” said Spencer, who joined the Peace Corps at 23.

Spencer worked as a teacher at a local vocational school, focusing on technology and computers.

Working in West Africa, he said, was difficult. He faced challenges ranging from power outages to culture shock.

“Challenges — there were so many challenges,” he said. “Just doing basic things were very hard.”

Yet Spencer said he gained valuable perspective.

“It was a huge honor to be an ambassador for the U.S. in a lot of ways, just on a citizen-to-citizen level,” he said. “You’re not the mouthpiece of the government, and neither are they. Our governments may disagree in a lot of ways, but that individual connection persevered and was something that always kept me going.”

He said he valued the exchange of ideas, cultures and values.

“That’s never going to not be important,” Spencer said.

To commemorate its work over the past 60 years, the Peace Corps hosted virtual events Feb. 28-March 6 with the theme “Peace Corps Through the Decades: Sixty Years, Countless Stories.” Locally, the University of Pittsburgh teamed up with the Pittsburgh Area Peace Corps Association for a virtual program March 3.

During the covid-19 pandemic, the Peace Corps paused its operations and brought home more than 6,000 Americans serving in more than 60 countries. The agency is recruiting new members and planning for a return to service.

Recruits must be at least 18 and a U.S. citizen. “But really we are looking for individuals who have a passion to serve abroad, really anyone who wants to make a grassroots impact in the international field,” said Morales, the regional Peace Corps recruiter.

As the Peace Corps plans to return to global service, she said, it’s an exciting time for new volunteers to tackle new challenges.

“It’s an extraordinary opportunity for future volunteers to be part of this new chapter of Peace Corps,” Morales said.

She highlighted certain perks to the program, like a stipend to cover the cost of food and housing, medical and dental care and deferral of federal student loans.

For details regarding the Peace Corps, Morales suggested contacting a local recruiter or visiting peacecorps.gov.

Julia Felton is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Julia at 724-226-7724, jfelton@triblive.com or via Twitter .

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As Peace Corps marks 60th anniversary, local volunteers reflect on their service: 'It changed me tremendously' - TribLIVE

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