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The Peace Corps and Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development announce the launch of a new Paul D. Coverdell Fellows program that offers a graduate school scholarship to Returned Peace Corps Volunteers pursuing a Master of Education in Special Education. All program Fellows will complete internships in underserved Greater Boston communities while they pursue their studies, allowing them to bring home and expand upon the skills they learned as volunteers.

“We are pleased to partner with BU Wheelock to support our returned Volunteers as they pursue higher education and continue their commitment to service,” said Peace Corps Director Jody Olsen. “A graduate degree, along with the life-changing experience of Peace Corps service, uniquely positions returned Volunteers to succeed in today’s global job market.”

Dr. Stephanie Cox Suárez, BU Wheelock faculty member and Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, notes that the Coverdell Fellows program “enables you to develop the skills and knowledge to serve in a high need area in your own country.”

“Students will benefit from individualized attention from faculty and teach in a diverse urban school,” says Dr. Cox Suárez. “In turn, BU Wheelock will benefit from your global experiences and perspectives.”

Returned Peace Corps Volunteers selected as Coverdell Fellows will receive a 33 percent discount in tuition and fees. They will also complete a yearlong internship in a school located in a high-need urban district and receive a stipend of approximately $12,000 per year for their services.

Through their internships, Coverdell Fellows apply what they learn in the classroom to a professional setting. They gain valuable, hands-on experience that makes them more competitive in today’s job market while furthering the Peace Corps mission. By sharing their global perspective with the communities they serve, Fellows help fulfill Peace Corps’ Third Goal commitment to strengthen Americans’ understanding of the world and its people.

The Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program began in 1985 at Teachers College, Columbia University and now includes more than 120 university partners across the country, from the District of Columbia to Hawaii. The program is reserved for students who have successfully completed Peace Corps service abroad. Since the inception of the program, more than 5,000 returned volunteers have participated and made a difference across the country. For more information, visit peacecorps.gov/fellows.

Since 1961, Boston University has produced 1,513 Peace Corps volunteers, with 32 alumni currently serving worldwide.

Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development has shared more information about the Coverdell Fellows program via this page. Students may contact Stephanie Cox Suárez, clinical associate professor, at scsuarez@bu.edu or 617.353.1350 and Eleonora Villegas-Reimers, clinical professor, at reimerse@bu.edu, with questions about the program.

About the Peace Corps: The Peace Corps sends Americans with a passion for service abroad on behalf of the United States to work with communities and create lasting change. Volunteers develop sustainable solutions to address challenges in education, health, community economic development, agriculture, environment and youth development. Through their Peace Corps experience, volunteers gain a unique cultural understanding and a life-long commitment to service that positions them to succeed in today’s global economy. Since President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, more than 240,000 Americans of all ages have served in 142 countries worldwide. For more information, visit peacecorps.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.