Training and Experience

#1 Education

Teach lessons that last a lifetime. Education is the Peace Corp’s largest program area. Volunteers play an important role in creating links among schools, parents, and communities by working in elementary, secondary, and postsecondary schools as math, science, conversational English, and resource teachers or as early grade reading and literacy teacher trainers. Volunteers also develop libraries and technology resource centers.

If you choose Education, take 3 courses from one of the following areas:

• Education
• English
• Linguistics
• Computer Science
• Chemistry

Recommended courses:

• EDUC 371 & 373 – Language Development and Literacy Instruction (Primary/Intermediate)
• EDUC 454 – The Teaching of Foreign Language
• EDUC 455 – The Teaching of Mathematics and Computer Science
• EDUC 458 – The Teaching of Sciences
• ENGL 399 – Community Service Learning
• LING 101 – Introduction to Linguistics
• LING 301 – Introduction to Psycholinguistics
• LING 302 – Introduction to Sociolinguistics and Anthropological Linguistics
• CPSC 310 – Computer Information Systems
• CPSC 420 – Modeling and Simulation
• CHEM 105 & 106 – Chemistry and Society with Laboratory
• CHEM 493 – Chemical Outreach

And build 50 hours of related field experience through an activity such as:

• Participating in one or more of several regional service opportunities such as (1) local programs for underserved populations at Stafford Junction, Heritage Park, or Bragg Hill, or (2) Catholic Charities Refugee
• Completing an internship at one of the many organizations and agencies in the Greater Fredericksburg region such as (1) Bundle of Joy Child Development, (2) the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, (3) the Smithsonian National Education Outreach program, (4) or completing a supervised practicum experience through the College of
• Participating in a UMW Abroad program such as (1) Academic Latinoamericana – Ecuador and Peru, (2) CIEE Dakar, Senegal, (3) CIEE Gaborone, Botswana, or (4) Sol Education Abroad – Heredia, Costa Rica, (5) SIT Chile: Comparative Education and Social Change.
• Teaching in one of these or a similar form: in a classroom, with a community outreach organization, or in a formal tutoring capacity
  • The subject of the teaching may be English as a Foreign/Second Language, special education, drama, or a STEM subject

 

#2 HEALTH

Serve on the front lines of global health. Health Volunteers work within their communities to promote important topics such as nutrition, maternal and child health, basic hygiene, and water sanitation. Volunteers also work in HIV/AIDS education and prevention programs to train youth as peer educators, develop appropriate education strategies, provide support to children orphaned by the pandemic, and create programs that provide emotional and financial support to families and communities affected by the disease.

If you choose Health, take three courses from one of the following areas:

• Biology
• Economics
• Sociology
• Nursing

Recommended courses:

• ANTH 371G – Medical Anthropology
• BIOL 384 – Human Anatomy
• BIOL 385 – Human Physiology
• BIOL 391 – Immunology
• BIOL 440 – Biology of Cancer
• ECON 332 – Economics of Health
• SOCG 320 – Food Justice
• SOCG 334 – Medical Sociology
• SOCG 335 – Global Perspectives on Health and Illness

And build 50 hours of related field experience through an activity such as:

• Volunteer or work experience in such areas as HIV/AIDS outreach, hospice, family planning counseling, emergency medical technician (EMT) or CPR teaching/certification, maternal health, and hands-on caregiving in a hospital, clinic, or lab technician setting
• Counseling or teaching in health subjects
• Working as a resident advisor in a dormitory, as a peer nutritionist, or as a sexually transmitted infections counselor
• Significant experience in mechanical repairs, construction, carpentry, masonry, plumbing, hydrology, or set design
• Participating in regional service opportunities such as those at (1) the Moss Free Clinic, Mary Washington Hospital, or the Spotsylvania Medical Center, (2) Fredericksburg Area HIV/AIDS Support Services (FAHASS), or serving as a volunteer EMT at a local Fire and Rescue
• Completing an internship at one of the many organizations and agencies in the Greater Fredericksburg region such as (1) the Virginia Department of Health, (2) Community of Hope, (3) the U. S. Department of Health and Human
• Participating in a UMW Abroad Program such as (1) CIEE Dakar, Senegal, (2) CIEE Monteverde, Costa Rica, (3) CIEE Gaborone, Botswana, (4) KEI Bangkok, Thailand, (5) Atlantis Fellowship, (6) SIT Argentina: Public Health and Urban Environments, (7) SIT Chile: Public Health, Traditional Medicine, and Community Empowerment (8) SIT India: Public Health, Policy Advocacy, and Community

#3 ENVIRONMENT

• Help forge a global movement to protect our planet. Volunteers lead grassroots efforts in their communities to protect the environment and strengthen understanding of environmental issues. They teach environmental awareness in elementary and secondary schools and to youth groups and community organizations, empowering communities to make their own decisions about how to protect and conserve the local environment.
• Volunteers also address environmental degradation by promoting sustainable use of natural resources.

If you choose Environment, take three courses from one of the following areas:

• Biology
• Economics
• Earth & Environmental Science
• Geology
• Philosophy
• Sociology

Recommended courses:

• ANTH 365 – Environment and Development Narratives
• BIOL 231 – Botany
• BIOL 424 – Tropical Ecology
• BIOL 428 – Conservation Biology
• ECON 331 – Environmental and Resource Economics
• ECON 351 – Poverty, Affluence, and Equality
• EESC 230 – Global Environmental Problems
• EESC 240 – Field Methods in Environmental Science and Geology
• EESC 322 – Aquatic Ecology
• EESC 325 – Environmental Geochemistry
• EESC 326 – Pollution Prevention Planning
• EESC 340 – Energy Resources and Technology
• PHIL 330 – Environmental Ethics
• PHIL 430 – Ethics, Environment, and Sustainability
• SOCG 354 – Environmental Sociology

And build 50 hours of related field experience through an activity such as:

• Educating the public on environmental or conservation issues, or working on environmental campaigns
• Conducting biological surveys of plants or animals
• Investigating an environmental issue through an independent research project
• Gardening, farming, nursery management, organic or low-input vegetable production, or landscaping
• Providing technical assistance and training in natural resource management
• Participating in regional service opportunities such as (1) Friends of the Rappahannock, (2) Downtown Greens, and (3) campus sustainability projects coordinated by the President’s Council for Sustainability.

• Completing an internship at one of the many organizations and agencies in the Greater Fredericksburg region such as (1) Environment Virginia, (2) Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District, (3) Lake Anna State Park, (4) Friends of the Rappahannock, (5) Tree Fredericksburg, (6) The Sierra Club.
  • Participating in a UMW Abroad Program such as (1) CIEE Dakar, Senegal, (2) CIEE Gaborone, Botswana, (3) IES Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, (4) KEI Bangkok, Thailand, (5) SIT Ecuador: Comparative Ecology and Conservation, (6) SIT Madagascar: Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management, (7) SIT Mongolia: Geopolitics and the Environment, (8) SIT Panama: Tropical Ecology, Marine Ecosystems, & Biodiversity Conservation, (9), SIT Tanzania-Zanzibar: Coastal Ecology & Natural Resource Management, or (10) SIT Tanzania: Wildlife Conservation and Political Ecology, (11) SIT Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology, (12) SIT Australia: Sustainability and Environmental Action, (13) SIT International Honors Program:  Climate Change – The Politics of Food, Water, and Energy, (14)) SIT Madagascar: Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management

 

#4 AGRICULTURE

Lead grassroots efforts to fight hunger in a changing world. Agricultural Volunteers work with small-scale farmers and families to increase food security and production and adapt to climate change while promoting environmental conservation practices. They introduce farmers to techniques that prevent soil erosion, reduce the use of harmful pesticides, and replenish the soil. They work alongside farmers on integrated projects that often combine vegetable gardening, livestock management, agroforestry, and nutrition education.

If you choose Agriculture, take three courses from one of the following areas:

• Biology
• Earth and Environmental Science

Recommended courses:

• ANTH 321 – Anthropology of Food
• BIOL 231 – Botany
• BIOL 311 – Plant Ecology
• BIOL 312 – Plant Physiology
• BIOL 323 – Entomology
• EESC 230 – Global Environmental Problems
• EESC 307 – Environmental Soil Science
• EESC 315 – Hydrogeology
• EESC 325 – Environmental Geochemistry

And build 50 hours of related field experience through an activity such as:

• Working with a large-scale or family-run business involving vegetable gardening, farming, nursery work, tree planting or care, urban forestry, landscaping, livestock care and management, or fish cultivation and production
• Teaching or tutoring the public in environmental or agricultural issues/activities
• Working on the business management or marketing side of a commercial farm
• Participating in regional service opportunities such as (1) Tree Fredericksburg, (2) Braehead Farm, and (3) the Virginia Cooperative Extension (in Spotsylvania or Stafford counties).

• Completing an internship at one of the many organizations and agencies in the Greater Fredericksburg region such as (1) the United States Department of Agriculture, (2) the Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture, (3) the Good Turn Earth Company, (4) Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District.
• Participating in a UMW Abroad Program such as (1) CIEE Gaborone, Botswana, (2) SIT Panama: Tropical Ecology, Marine Ecosystems, and Biodiversity Conservation, (3) CIEE Monteverde, Costa Rica, (4) SIT Ecuador: Comparative Ecology and Conservation, (5) SIT Iceland & Greenland: Climate Change and the Arctic, (6) SIT India: Sustainable Development and Social Change, (7) SIT International Honors Program:  Climate Change – The Politics of Food, Water, and Energy, (8) SIT Madagascar: Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management.

 

#5 YOUTH IN DEVELOPMENT

• Empower the next generation of changemakers. Volunteers work with youth in communities on projects that promote engagement and active citizenship, including gender awareness, employability, health and HIV/AIDS education, environmental awareness, sporting programs, and info technology.

If you choose Youth in Development, take three courses from one of the following areas:

• Psychology
• Sociology

Recommended courses:

• PSYC 331 – Developmental Psychology: The Infant and Child
• PSYC 332 – Developmental Psychology: The Adolescent and Adult
• PSYC 347 – Psychology of Men
• PSYC 350 – Psychology of women
• SOCG 301 – Evolution and Social Behavior
• SOCG 351 – Juvenile Delinquency

And build 50 hours of related field experience through an activity such as:

• Teaching or counseling in at-risk youth programs
• Activities that involve planning, organizing, assessing community needs, counseling, and leadership, in areas such as education, youth development, health and HIV/AIDS, the environment, and/or business
• Participating in regional service opportunities such as (1) UMW’s James Farmer Scholars Program, (2) Young Women Leaders Program, (3) Hope House or Thurman Brisben Center, (4) Catholic Charities Refugee
• Completing an internship at one of the many organizations and agencies in the Greater Fredericksburg region such as Rappahannock Big Brothers, Big Sisters or the Boys and Girls Clubs of
• Participating in a UMW Abroad Program such as: (1) CIEE Dakar, Senegal, (2) SIT Nicaragua: Youth Culture, Literacy, and Media, or (3) SIT Samoa: Pacific Communities and Social Change, (4) SIT Chile: Cultural Identity, Social Justice, and Community Development, (5) SIT India: Sustainable Development and Social Change.

#6 COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Harness 21st-century tools to help communities lift themselves. Volunteers work with development banks, nongovernmental organizations, and municipalities to strengthen infrastructure and encourage economic opportunities in communities. They frequentlyteach in classroom settings and work with entrepreneurs and business owners to develop and market their products. Some Volunteers also teach basic computer skills and help communities take advantage of technologies such as e-commerce, distance learning, and more.

If you choose Community Economic Dev., take three courses from one of the following areas:

• Accounting
• Business
• Economics
• Geography
• Management/Management Information Systems
• Marketing
• Sociology
• Computer Science and Related Majors
• Geography

Recommended courses:

• ACCT 101 & 102 – Principles of Accounting I & II or ACCT 110 Intensive Principles of Accounting
• ACCT 301 & 302 – Intermediate Accounting I & II
• ACCT 304 – Cost Managerial Accounting
• ACCT 401 – Accounting Information Systems
• ACCT 420 – Governmental and Not-for-Profit Accounting
• ANTH 317 – World Economies
• ANTH 365 – Environment and Development Narratives
• BUAD 473 – Environment of International Business
• ECON 324 – Economics of Philanthropy and the Non-Profit Sector
• ECON 381 – Microfinance for Development
• ECON 384 – Economic Development
• FINC 301 – Principles of Finance
• FINC 430 – Financial Modeling
• GEOG 236 – Globalization and Local Development
• GEOG 250 – Introduction to Geographic Information Systems and Cartography
• GEOG 339 – Geography and Development
• GEOG 340 – Remote Sensing and Air Photo Interpretation
• GEOG 355 – Mobile Geographic Information Systems and Global Positioning Systems
• MGMT 300 – Principles of Management
• MGMT 346 – Human Resource Management
• MGMT 421 – Entrepreneurial Venture Creation
• MIST 201 – Management Information Systems and Applications
• MIST 301 – Principles of Knowledge Management
• MKTG 301 – Principles of Marketing
• MKTG 401 – Marketing Research
• MKTG 460 – International Marketing
• SOCG 404 – Global Inequality and Development

And build 50 hours of related field experience through an activity such as:

• Working with businesses, organizations, or cooperatives in accounting, finance, microfinance, management, project management, budgeting, or marketing
• Starting and running your own business or other entrepreneurial activity
• Training others in computer literacy, maintenance, and repair
• Website design or online marketing
• Founding or leading a community- or school-based organization
• Participating in regional service opportunities or completing an internship such as at the Small Business Development Center or the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce.
• Participating in a UMW Abroad Program such as (1) CIEE University of Botswana – Gaborone, Botswana, (2) CIEE Dakar, Senegal, (3) SIT Jordan: Modernization and Social Change, (4) SIT Peru: Indigenous Peoples and Globalization, (5) SIT Samoa: Pacific Communities and Social Change, or (6) SIT Uganda: Development Studies, Kampala, (7) SIT Chile: Cultural Identity, Social Justice, and Community Development