Katy Schrader ’16 (pictured here at her Peace Corps Swearing-In Ceremony)

Katy writes from Mozambique:

I am a Peace Corps Volunteer in the education sector in Southern Mozambique. I work at a Instituto de Formação de Professores (IFP), the Mozambican equivalent of a teachers training college. I teach English at the IFP, and in the afternoons I help run a program at the community library to encourage early grade reading and comprehension of Portuguese.

After the first time I heard about Peace Corps I knew that I wanted to be a volunteer at some point in my life. I majored in History and International Global Studies, knowing that the experiences and knowledge I gained from these courses would greatly help in my Peace Corps application. During my senior year at UMF I served as an AmeriCorps volunteer and really loved working with the students at Spruce Mountain High School. I decided to apply to be a Peace Corps volunteer in the education sector, even though the 27 month commitment seemed incredibly daunting.

One piece of advice I would give a recent grad is to be bold and be fearless! Don’t be afraid of the unknowns and do not get overly caught up in the demands society pushes on you as a new graduate. Try new things, meet new people, and don’t forget to have fun.

My personal highlight is being able to work with the future educators of Mozambique. Everyday I walk into the classroom ready to teach but also ready to learn from my students. And although my classes may seem silly to the other professors because we sing and dance and play games, I know it is all worth it when I see how much my students laugh and have fun during their very own English lessons.