The Honorable Mark L. Schneider, Peace Corps Director, addressed a group of students, faculty, and administrative members on Thursday, Nov. 16, in the Alumni Galleria. Mr. Schneider discussed his own personal history with the Corps, as well as it’s significance around the world. "I have the greatest job in the United States, or at least in the U.S. government," said Schneider. "The spirit and service in the United States can change the world." Dr.Clay Drees, professor of history, is the President of the Association of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, and was responsible for bringing Schneider to campus. At age 22, Drees served in West Africa. "For me personally, it was one of the most enlightening and maturing experiences of my life," said Drees. "I really grew up very, very quickly and became what I like to call a ‘citizen of the world.' I saw disease. I saw poverty that would just absolutely shock most Americans," said Drees.
Schneider has become the fifteenth director of the Peace Corps, since it’s creation by President Kennedy in 1960. Schneider and his wife Susan, served as volunteers in El Salvador from 1966 to 1968. He has served as chief of the Office of Analysis ans Strategic Planning and as a staff member for Sen. Edward Kennedy. 161,000 volunteers in 134 countries have served in an attempt to achieve what Schneider described as the Peace Corps three main goals: to contribute to the development of countries around the world; to permit other countries to understand who we are as a people; and to promote understanding by having Americans return home and share their experiences. "Unfortunately, the demands around the world remain," said Schneider. "The majority of the world still suffers from poverty, hunger, and ill health."
"For Americans to go overseas, I think it helps people in other countries to better understand Americans," said Drees. "We become ambassadors of our country." Schneider described changes that have taken place within the Corps since he was a volunteer. This includes an increase in the amount of women and minority volunteers, as well as those over the age of 50. Over 60 percent of the Peace Corps is now composed of women. Many students in attendance are interested in becoming volunteers. "I came to hear more about what seems to be an interesting opportunity," said senior Megan Maynard. "For college students to have this kind of experience, it would enrich their lives not only in the short term, personally, but also the long term, professionally," said Drees. Peace Corps volunteers work in a variety of fields. Volunteers can serve in business and municipal development, work in health clinics, the environmental and agricultural field, and many volunteers are teachers. "The area of information technology is growing," said Schneider. "Volunteers are using computers to advance their goal, and they are enabling communities to benefit from computer technology."
America Online is currently funding 120 projects for the Peace Corps over the next two years. Potential volunteers must undergo an application process. The Corps receives about 10,000 applications a year and accepts approximately 4,000. Many volunteers are college graduates, andsome posses certain skills that put them at an advantage, such as speaking a foreign language. Most are turned away for medical reasons. Schneider advised students to apply about a year ahead of time. Volunteers are given money to sustain a moderate standard of living in the country in which they serve. There is also a "readjustment allowance" given to volunteers when they return home. "The Peace Corps places volunteers where they can be safe and secure," Schneider told the crowd. "I hope you will be future Peace Corps volunteers."
If you wish to learn more about the Peace Corps, you can contact Career Services, located in Village II, or apply online at www.peacecorps.gov.
The tree lighting ceremony, a Virginia Wesleyan tradition, will not occur quite the same way it has in the past. The Foreign Languages and Literature Department is introducing a new way of celebrating the holiday season. For almost 10 years now, the Wesleyan community has celebrated the lighting of a pine tree in honor of Lt. Slator Blackiston, a Wesleyan student who died in France in 1984 while on a training mission. Blackiston attended Wesleyan through the Navy Degree Completion Program and was a student of Dr. Patricia Sullivan, who retired in May of 1999. Although some students were aware of the tree lightning ceremony, many never knew what it was for. "I think they should keep the tradition the same way, since it’s in honor of a student," said senior Joy McBride. According to Dr. Mavel Velasco, professor of Spanish, instead of gathering around the memorial pine tree, the Foreign Languages department is having Christmas carols around campus. "We are introducing the European and Hispanic countries’ tradition of going place to place in singing and bringing the holiday cheer," Velasco said.
Velasco also said that everyone is welcome to participate, although most Foreign Language students will gather around 4 p.m. on December 4 in Blocker Hall for the event. The wellwishers will then proceed to the Hofheimer Library, Clarke Academic Center, and finally in Boyd Dining Center, where a different tree will be lit. "We’re going to have hot chocolate and continue with the singing," Velasco said. "I think they should do both the lightning of the memorial tree, and the caroling," said sophomore Kristin Taylor. Early in the spring, the original pine tree in honor of Blackiston was destroyed. No one was charged with the destruction. Robert Pope, assistant director of security, recalls looking out the window and seeing the mangled tree on Rose Lawn.
"No one reported it, and we called maintenance to take a look at it," Pope said. According to David Hopper, director of the physical plant, the tree was damaged and the school had to purchase another. "We have to wait until the next planting season, early spring, to plant it," Hopper said. The new pine tree sits temporarily behind the Godwin Building. "You just can’t change a tradition," said senior Shelly Brannon. "It’s a tradition!"
There have been many changes around the Virginia Wesleyan College campus due to new security policies. The first thing one notices is the new guardhouse. There is also the security officer who waves at you at all times during the day. Next is the bright yellow speed bump, and then comes the stop sign at the end of the entrance road. "The new policies are meant to control traffic," said officer Bill Allen. "Also, they help stop unauthorized vehicles form entering campus." The new guardhouse was designed to give security officers more room and a nicer area in which to do their job. An officer is now always posted at the guardhouse. His job is to check student ID’s as well as the identification of anyone else traveling in the car. This helps security to monitor who is on campus and who they are with, so if anything happens, the party responsible can be located. It also holds students more accountable for what their guests do while on campus. In addition, the speed bump and stop sign are there to prevent accidents from happening and to slow people down, according to Allen. "There have been a lot of close calls with accidents," said Allen. The tightened security has come after a rash of vandalism, including the destruction of the John Wesley statue and the graffiti on the Bubble and the athletics trailer.
However, it has come with a price. Four new officers had to be added to the staff. "The new gatehouse was not as operational as we thought," said Allen. "It is a two-man job, and we only had one working there." Three of the officers are part-time and one has been hired full-time. The parttime officers answer the phones and take the lock-out This allows the full-time officer to stand outside and keep the traffic moving through the cones and over the speed bump. "I think it is annoying when they stop me and ask to check my ID," said freshman Ginny Mack. "But I understand that it is their job, and they are just trying to protect the campus." In response to student inquiries about the increase in security staff and measures, the Office of Residence Life, which works closely with security, has put out fliers to let students know why the new policies are in effect. Residence Life invites students to call if they have questions or concerns. No new policies are planned to be enacted until next semester.