A tradition of
SERVICE Geneseo is ranked 14th nationwide for alumni currently serving in the Peace Corps. Why so many make the leap and the difference they make. By Kris Dreessen
R
ay Rizzo ’15 is in a small mountain town in Nicaragua sharing the foundations of entrepreneurship with teachers and high-school students who will present their ideas for new businesses in a national competition. In time, they can build their ventures and pass core skills they’ve learned to the next generation. Rizzo is the latest Geneseo graduate who has volunteered for the Peace Corps since its 1961 founding by then president John F. Kennedy. One of the earliest Geneseo volunteers was Mary Robinson Slabey ’64. She helped teachers on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia to develop a nationwide mathematics curriculum in 1967. Between Slabey and Rizzo’s tenure with the Peace Corps, 270 more Geneseo alumni have helped train men and women in education, healthcare and other fields, from China and Senegal to the Comoros Islands. At least one faculty member, Jane Hogan, a retired professor of education, also served. It is a long and consistent history of global service for Geneseo — with a unique milestone. Geneseo is ranked 14th among medium-sized schools nationwide for the number of alumni who are active Peace Corps volunteers. The Peace Corps reports that in 2016, 18
Geneseo alumni were serving in 16 countries. This was the third year in a row that Geneseo has ranked in the top 20. It is even more impressive when you look at the competition for such a distinction: The medium-sized category includes higher-education institutions with 5,000 to 15,000 students. Geneseo, with 5,500 students, is one of the smallest colleges in its category, but it’s clearly a powerhouse. “There is a very clear mindset at Geneseo and a willingness to take the scholarship and community service that students acquired while studying to share with the world,” says Emily Webb ’13, a public affairs specialist at Peace Corps. “That certainly says a lot about the student body as a whole.” ••• What characteristics do alumni have or nurture to jump into life in a new culture and build programs from the ground up? A primary trait is “good, old-fashioned stubbornness,” says Mia Bonarski Deschamps ’03, who taught English in Namibia. Stubbornness to stick to your will, she says, and determination is what gets you there — and beyond. “Peace Corps is really hard. There are a lot of first-time experiences in a new culture,” Deschamps says. “You feel strange. You struggle. But, you have a desire, a goal and a mindset you are going to do this.” Jessica Kroenert ’15 in her Senegalese village.
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geneseo scene
PHOTO BY ELLE DEJESUS