University Celebrates Peace Corps Prep Certificate Recipients for Fall 2022

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From left: Alshaatha Alsharji, Ana Pendergast and Fran Hagstrom.

One University of Arkansas graduate has earned the Peace Corps Prep program certificate. Students who complete the program have a competitive advantage when applying for Peace Corps service as they are equipped in training and experience, world language proficiency, intercultural competency, and professional leadership development.

Ana Pendergast completed all the program requirements and earned her certificate this semester, fall 2022.

Pendergast is graduating with a major in international businesses and a concentration in economics. She completed the certificate with a focus on the community economic development sector. She has completed a service-learning study abroad experience in Belize which helped her prepare for the Peace Corps in numerous ways including navigating different cultural expectations and language barriers. Pendergast has also volunteered with Canopy — an organization that supports refugees through resettlement assistance in Arkansas. She worked as an English-as-second-language tutor and has paired one on one with a refugee from Rwanda.

Pendergast has already started the application process for Peace Corps, and is also hoping to obtain the Critical Language scholarship. Her excellent academic and volunteering experiences have made her a great candidate for the Peace Corps Prep certificate.

Fran Hagstrom, associate dean of international education, hosted a graduation ceremony for Pendergast and the Returned Peace Corps Volunteer campus network along with Andrew Van Lew, coordinator of the Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Campus Network, and Alshaatha Alsharji, the Peace Corps Prep program adviser.

Students interested in completing the Peace Corps Prep certificate program should contact the Office of Study Abroad and International Exchange or visit the PCP website.