A recent graduate of Iowa State will soon embark on a mission of peace and environmental protection.

Malinda Braland, who graduated this spring with a bachelor’s degree in animal ecology, will work as a park and wildlife extentionist for the Peace Corps. Braland will leave the United States on June 27 to train in Morocco.

Braland said she will communicate with the Moroccan people about the need to preserve the land and work with the government to decide what areas need improvement. She said she may also work with agronomists to help with erosion problems.

Kevin Burns, public affairs specialist for the Peace Corps, said a Park and Wildlife Extentionist is like a park ranger in the United States. Burns said Braland will help with the natural parks by counting trees and will work with tourists by educating them about park conservation and ecosystems.

Earlier this year, President Clinton proposed a new initiative to expand the number of opportunities for Americans to serve as Peace Corps volunteers.

Burns said Clinton’s initiative puts the Peace Corps on a path to have 10,000 volunteers serving overseas by the year 2000, a 50 percent increase over the current number of volunteers.

According to the Peace Corps Web site, the initiative, which is the largest funding increase requested for the Peace Corps since the 1960s, would increase the Peace Corps’ budget from $226 million in fiscal year 1998 to $270 million in fiscal year 1999, an increase of $48 million, or more than 19 percent.

The initiative has come at a time when interest in the Peace Corps is high. The Peace Corps Web site states that more than 150,000 Americans contacted the Peace Corps in 1997 to request information about volunteering, an increase of more than 40 percent since 1994.

With thousands more volunteers serving overseas, the Peace Corps can help more communities around the world gain access to clean water, grow more food, help prevent the spread of AIDS, teach English, math and science and work with non-governmental organizations to protect the environment, according to the Web site.

“We’re pretty happy to have support from President Clinton, and we’re excited about the challenge for 2000,” Burns said.

Burns said the program Braland will be associated with “is meaningful and helps education of environment growth. [It] teaches the value of environment for our lives.”

Braland said she’s excited about joining the Peace Corps program because “it’s an excellent adventure.”

Braland said she joined the Peace Corps because she has always lived in Iowa and her traveling has been remote. She said this is her “one option to travel and see the world” and to “get the wild side out” before she settles down with a job.

Although she originally wanted to go somewhere in Central Africa, Braland said she is going to Morocco because it was the only place left that had a park and wildlife extentionist position open.

Braland said the Peace Corps has been very cooperative. After she finishes her two-year service, Braland will be receiving a $5,400 allowance to help her get back on her feet. She said some people use their money to buy a car, but she plans to use her money to travel around Europe.

For more information about the Peace Corps, call 1-800-424-8580 or visit the Peace Corps Web site at www.peacecorps.gov.