50th Anniversary Regional Expo Held in Portland to Showcase Peace Corps Programs

One of nine events across the country to highlight five decades of service.

Courtesy: University of Michigan

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - The Peace Corps and the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA), the nation’s leading 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization supporting Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) and the Peace Corps community, announced today an Around the World Expo will be held in Portland, Ore. on Sunday, April 3. This expo, which is free and open to the public, is one of nine regional events nationwide to highlight the contributions of Peace Corps volunteers and celebrate the program’s 50th anniversary.

“Our goal is to highlight the accomplishments of the Peace Corps over the last 50 years while inspiring the next generation of volunteers,” said Kevin Quigley, president of the National Peace Corps Association (Thailand, 1976-79). “These expos will be a way for people who have only heard about the Peace Corps to come see it up close.”

A collaborative effort between NPCA, the Peace Corps and local member groups, the expos provide an opportunity for the general public and RPCVs to celebrate the countries where Peace Corps Volunteers have served. Attendees will be able to hear firsthand from former Volunteers about their experiences and projects around the world. Peace Corps and NPCA staff members will be on hand to lead workshops and answer questions on various recruitment and education initiatives.

The expos are timed to help commemorate the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s creation of the Peace Corps in 1961. Free and open to the public, they are aimed at people interested in volunteering, teachers looking for new ways to engage students and RPCVs seeking to reconnect with former colleagues.

The expo in Portland will be held on April 3 at the Portland State University Student Union at 1825 SW Broadway. Registration opens at 1:30 p.m. Scheduled speakers include Melanie Forthun (Bulgaria 2006-2008), Public Affairs Specialist, Peace Corps Regional Recruitment Office in Seattle, WA; NPCA President Kevin Quigley (Thailand 1976-1979); and Erin Gettling (Ukraine 2003-2005), Events Coordinator for the Columbia River Peace Corps Association.

“The anniversary expos provide an opportunity for everyone to get a hands-on experience through story-telling, workshops and demonstrations,” adds Quigley. “In essence, we’ll be bringing the world home to help inspire a new generation of volunteers.”

To learn more about the expos, visit: http://bit.ly/PC50thExpos.