I decided to go to the University of Pittsburgh, where I studied Political Science, International Relations, Global Studies, Cultural Dynamics, Theater and Spanish, all with the Peace Corps in the back of my mind. I absolutely loved my four years at college. I loved everything I studied. I felt very passionate about learning about the world, history, culture, language, and more. I felt that it was important to understand people different from me because, at the heart of peace and love, there is understanding.
I also met some lifelong friends and enjoyed all of my extracurricular activities. I played intramural soccer, was the social media manager for the Spikeball Club and was a character actor for The Imagination Project, which is a service organization benefiting youth. I also had a work-study job at a research clinic at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, where I assisted in research trials, including the COVID vaccine trials. In between work, classes, studying and extracurriculars, I volunteered at a women’s shelter as a part of Homeless Children’s Education Fund.
Once my senior year rolled around, the Peace Corps was at the forefront of my mind for what I wanted to do post-graduation. I applied in April, a few weeks before graduation, and found out 10 days later that I was accepted and would be going to the Dominican Republic to be a Primary School Spanish Literacy Promoter the upcoming August. I applied to volunteer with AmeriCorps for the summer so I could prepare myself for what it would be like to be a full-time volunteer and gain more experience working with youth.
