Saint Michael’s honors its first Peace Corps Prep graduate

The U.S. Peace Corps has awarded a Certificate of Completion of the Peace Corps Prep program to Saint Michael’s College graduating senior Conor Floyd ’16.

In a small ceremony in the Dean’s office Friday, May 6, Floyd was presented with his certificate by Dean Jeffery Ayres and Daniel Evans, Coordinator of the Saint Michael’s College Peace Corps Prep program. Floyd is first graduate of the Saint Michael’s Peace Corps Prep program, which was instituted at the College in Fall 2015.

While most students would work on the program requirements over the course of 2-4 years of undergraduate study, Conor Floyd entered the program having already met the requirements through his previous course work, as well as extensive experience living and working abroad.  He had volunteered as a teacher in Uganda for more than 100 hours, spent a semester abroad in India and Nepal, and done research on English language learners among the local refugee community around Saint Michael’s.

The Peace Corps Prep program is a selection of course work and co-curricular projects that are designed to provide prospective Peace Corps volunteers (PCVs) with a solid background that will help prepare them for international service should they decide to become Peace Corps volunteers after graduation.  Studies and experience in foreign language, intercultural intelligence, and in a specific sector — such as education, business, health and nutrition or the environment — are required in the program.

In a letter accompanying the certificate, Clayton Kennedy, director of the Peace Corps Office of University Programs, pointed to the usefulness of the knowledge and skills gained through the program outside of  PCV preparation:  “[We] trust that these competencies will elevate their professional careers whever they may lead them.  The need for these capacities grows ever-stronger in today’s globalizing world.”

Upon awarding Floyd with his certificate, Evans said, “We could not have found a more suitable or deserving candidate to receive the honor of being our very first graduate of the Peace Corps Prep program.”