Many heard the call in 1961, when John F. Kennedy challenged a generation to change the world.  Within two months of Kennedy’s inauguration, he signed into executive order the Peace Corps as a way to advance “the great common task of bringing to man that decent way of life which is the foundation of freedom and a condition of peace.”  Thousands of Americans accepted Kennedy’s challenge in those early days of the Peace Corps and began applying for the first assignments in Ghana, Tanzania, Colombia, the Philippines, Chile and St. Lucia. 

However, there were many citizens who had commitments here at home to attend to – jobs, families, graduate degrees and more.  But, they never forgot President Kennedy’s call to action, and his words remain as powerful and relevant today as they were 48 years ago.  This is evident by the growing number of Americans in their 50s, 60s and 70s now applying to Peace Corps service.  In fact, the agency saw its applications among those age 50 and above increase by approximately 44 percent in 2008.

Contrary to popular belief, Peace Corps service has no upper age limit, and 5 percent of currently serving Peace Corps volunteers are over age 50.  These volunteers have found retirement and other life transitions the ideal time to realize their dream of joining Peace Corps.  And many older volunteers find their age to be an asset – that people of developing nations respect and appreciate the decades of work and wisdom they bring into the communities they serve.   

With 77 million baby boomers in the U.S., roughly 28 percent of the population, according the U.S. Census Bureau, Peace Corps is actively recruiting this population with years of life experience, in addition to its traditional campaigns to attract college graduates.  Approximately 10 Purdue University alums have served in Peace Corps over the last few years at age 50+. 

“Older volunteers are a very rich American resource,” says Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter, who served in Peace Corps with President Jimmy Carter’s mother, Lillian Cater, who joined up at age 68.  “They are mature, highly skilled, educated and willing to give back to society.  We can offer them an opportunity to serve their country and those in need in a very unique way with meaningful results.”

Nancy Hannibal, Communications Specialist for Programs for Study Abroad, is a recent over 50 Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, where she was a Small Business Advisor in Kenya from 2005 through 2007. She summed up her experience, by simply saying, " I could not imagine my life without having been a Peace Corps Volunteer." 

Call 800-424-8580 to speak with a regional Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Recruiter or visit www.peacecorps.gov/50plus for more information about serving in Peace Corps, including qualifications, comprehensive training program, safety and security measures, health and dental benefits, living allowance and transition fund, and more.

For more information please contact: Nancy Hannibal nhannibal@purdue.edu

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