The Peace Corps offers more than just a helping hand to the citizens of underprivileged nations.

Inez Bersie-Mize, an undeclared graduate student and former Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras, said the Peace Corps gave her a new perspective on life, a feeling of accomplishment and a better understanding of the American and world political systems.

“It’s the life experience that you can gain, and the things you can learn about the American culture when you experience another culture [that are valuable],” she said.

Since its introduction in 1961, more than 145,000 volunteers have participated in the Peace Corps program.

Today there are about 7,000 Peace Corps volunteers from all over the nation, in almost 90 countries.

David Walker, Iowa State Peace Corps representative and two-time volunteer, said the program at ISU has been and continues to be successful. About 40 to 45 ISU alumni are currently serving Peace Corps terms, he said.

“Everyone chips in,” Walker said. “It has been so successful because the Iowa State University community helps us out.”

He said the Peace Corps is looking for just about anyone who wants to join.

Walker said people in engineering, agriculture, education, health, business, the sciences, humanities and foreign languages are all welcome to take part in the Peace Corps.

He said traveling abroad, knowing a foreign language and being willing to donate time also are helpful when trying to become a volunteer.

“[A volunteer] needs to be achieving a degree,” Walker said, adding that people should be able to specify a skill before they sign up with the Peace Corps.

A term lasts 27 months, which includes three months of training and two years of service, he said.

Walker said Africa is visited the most often, with about 40 percent of all Peace Corps volunteers serving there.

He also cited Central America, South America, the Pacific Islands, Eastern Europe and Russia as other popular places to volunteer.

Walker said Eastern Europe and Russia have been relatively new attractions because of the changing business climate taking place in these regions.

An advantage of serving in the Peace Corps is it can help individuals understand different cultures and value systems, he said.

Bersie-Mize, former Peace Corps volunteer, said she feels Americans do not always look at underdeveloped countries in the proper light.

“It’s still ironic how we view different countries,” she said, calling these views fatalistic.

From these views, the Peace Corps defines its goals.

Walker said the three goals are to teach skills to people of different lands, to learn about the culture and skills of different ethnic groups and to bring these skills back to the United States and share these experiences with others.

“We’re looking for people with a skill we can identify, somebody with some language ability, somebody with some volunteer service, somebody who is adventuresome and somebody who relates to people,” Walker said.

“They’re going to try. They’re going to listen. They’re going to be respectful. They’re going to learn and give something back,” Walker said of the volunteers.

Bersie-Mize said her fondest memories of the Peace Corps came from the people she met.

“[I enjoyed] making connections with the people that lived in Honduras,” she said.

Walker said students interested in the Peace Corps are invited to an informational meeting in Room 24 of Ross Hall on Sept. 23 at 7 p.m., where former Peace Corps volunteers will talk about their experiences.