March 7, 2011 | Sheila Foran, Jessica Tommaselli, & Arthur Galinat
UConn’s Peace Corps Volunteers Honored at 50th Anniversary Celebration
Returned Peace Corps volunteers spoke warmly of their experiences and urged others to volunteer.
UConn’s returned Peace Corps volunteers were honored at a reception at the Dodd Center on March 2. The event, which celebrated the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Peace Corps by President John F. Kennedy, had the air of a family reunion. Even though the more than two dozen former Peace Corps volunteers who attended the event had served in different areas of the world, in different decades, the lasting impact of their volunteer experience was evident as they shared stories and compared experiences.
The keynote speaker was former U.S. Sen. Christopher J. Dodd, who served as a volunteer in the Dominican Republic from 1966 to 1968. In his remarks he said, “The notion that service could be part of foreign policy was a radical idea 50 years ago. My experience as a Peace Corps volunteer changed my life forever, for the better.” Photo by Arthur GalinatActing as hosts and masters of ceremony were, from left, Carl Salsedo, extension educator of sustainable and environmental horticulture; Bob Chudy, program director, International Services and Programs; and Beth Salsedo, retired extension program specialist. Each of them reminisced about their experiences, and Beth Salsedo set the tone of the event when she said, “We all deeply believed in President John F. Kennedy’s dream of world service. It was a way of changing the world by peaceful example.” The Salsedos served in the Micronesian islands of Palau from 1968 to 1970. Chudy was a volunteer in Korea from 1972 to 1977. Photo by Jessica TommaselliAilton Santo Coleman, currently a Ph.D. candidate in Public Health and Policy, served in the Peace Corps from 2001 to 2004 in the Republic of Kiribati, an island nation located in the central tropical Pacific Ocean. Coleman said that as a Peace Corps volunteer, “You become a part of a family.” He encouraged audience members to become volunteers, and implored them to, “Think about the changes you can make today that will make you better volunteers tomorrow.” Photo by Jessica TommaselliAs a youngster growing up in Ghana, Erik Donkor, now an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering in the School of Engineering, was influenced by both Canadian and American Peace Corps volunteers. Speaking as a recipient of the knowledge and friendship of the volunteers who taught him math, physics, and electronics, he said, “My ultimate career path is absolutely the result of my experiences with Peace Corps volunteers.” Photo by Jessica TommaselliIllustration students in the class of associate professor Cora Lynn Deibler created posters in celebration of the 50th anniversary. The posters are currently on display at the Dodd Center, and they will also be on tour at other UConn campuses. Deputy director of the Peace Corps Carrie Hessler-Radelet, who spoke at the gathering, has also asked that the posters be sent to Washington, D.C. to be exhibited at Peace Corps headquarters. Photo by Jessica Tommaselli
