Peace Corps Baccalaureate Degree

1. Peace Corps Baccalaureate Degree Dr. Carol Lacey Metropolitan State University, St. Paul, MN. Carol.Lacey@metrostate.edu

2. One of a kind • Metropolitan State University partnership with the Peace Corps as the first and only university to offer a Peace Corps baccalaureate degree program. • Launched August, 2006, the degree is patterned after Peace Corps Masters International programs.

3. Right place, right time • Peace Corps/American Association of Community Colleges in 2003 led to more recruits without 4-year degrees. • Peace Corps sought a university to offer such a bachelor’s degree. • Simultaneously, Metropolitan State’s initiative began with a single student/PCV.

4. Reflecting the “face of America” • Community college graduates are more likely to be diverse and mature and possess technical skills needed in PC host countries. • Result of Peace Corps/AACC partnership: PCV applications from community colleges have tripled.

5. A global journey begins • Metropolitan State student began PCV service while pursuing her degree. • Poor communication/mail thwarted efforts to pursue independent study while a PCV. • Upon return, student had to apply for readmission and redesign her degree.

6. Daunting 5+ years option • Being accepted as PCV after community college degree; • Completing PCV training and service (roughly 27 months) • Returning and applying/reapplying for admission to 4-year program • Continuing 2+ years to completion of 4-year degree.

7. A better way • Students accepted as Peace Corps volunteers/Metro State students retain active status without extra cost during service. • Reliable, one-stop communication point for student/Metro State. • Focus on community college grads, but others welcome.

8. Faster track • Students can register for credits at any point during PCV service. • Or they can accumulate documentation of their PC learning and register upon return. • Completing service and credits simultaneously expected to benefit recruitment and retention.

9. Program requirements • Students must meet Metropolitan State’s admissions requirements. • Students must meet the Peace Corp volunteer requirements. • Entering participants complete pre-service training (12 weeks). • Training successfully completed, they begin a two-year tour of service as Peace Corps Volunteers in their host country.

10. Quality degree pathway • Accredited individualized distance degree assures academic quality • Facilitates transfer of credits • Efolio electronic portfolio pathway to document learning achieved through Peace Corps training and service

11. Meeting student needs • NetDirect portal accesses electronic library, records and registration, email, file storage, student services and orientation • Exceptional online access to scholarly work through Metro State electronic library and Peace Corps resources

12. Practical aspects • Resident tuition and fees during a program participant's Peace Corps service. • Participants are eligible for all applicable funding sources. • Web page on Metro State’s site will provide a direct link to the Peace Corps' web site.

13. Why Metro? • Fits Metropolitan State University’s mission as an urban university, meeting needs of adult students engaged in self-directed learning and civic engagement. • Metro State’s individualized degree at a distance degree is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. • Collaboration with MN Online and Efolio electronic portfolio.

14. Perspectives • Required for all Metropolitan State students pursuing an individualized degree. • Examines philosophies and challenges of liberal education at an urban university. • Prepares students to articulate educational goals and design a plan to meet them.

15. Minnesota Efolio • This multimedia electronic portfolio creates a living showcase of education, career and personal achievements. • All Minnesota residents, including students enrolled in Minnesota schools, can use eFolio Minnesota. • Perspectives students begin establish their own basic electronic portfolio.

16. Peace Corps efolio links • Dozens of specific learning options and outcomes from potential Peace Corps training and field experience • Peace Corps evaluation measures and reflection and other documentation can provide evidence to assess for credit.

17. Toolkit competence examples • Awareness of development impact on people’s lives • Gender and development awareness • Youth community commitment and citizenship.

18. Language training (4) Development concepts (4) Intercultural/cross-cultural communication training (4) Training and development application (4) Community development application (4) Field placement possibilities

19. Computer access • Plan for technology of the future, while accounting for present limitations. • Widespread expansion of Internet access, particularly wireless access, will increase PCV opportunity to file communication and documentation electronically.

20. Customized degree • Like all individualized degree students, PCV choose the components of their degree, important as areas of expertise and application vary considerably. • Consider this perhaps a customized, individualized B.A. degree, as it offers a structure (through efolio) to identify and document quality learning.

21. Growth • First year is very limited since PCV selection and MSU admission processes take time.This provides opportunity to build a strong infrastructure. • MSU students have been and continue to be attracted to Peace Corps service. • Peace Corps will recruit at 100+ community colleges this year.