The University of Cincinnati reported on Apr. 24 that its School of Planning at the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP) continues to connect returned Peace Corps volunteers with local organizations through the Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program.
The program allows returned Peace Corps volunteers to apply their international experience in graduate education while working with community-based groups in the region. This approach is designed to blend academic learning with practical engagement, offering students opportunities to impact local neighborhoods using skills developed abroad.
Students in the program complete coursework during the academic year and participate in full-time co-op placements over the summer. According to Johanna Looye, a professor at UC’s School of Planning and one of the Peace Corps program coordinators, “It’s working with the community, not for the community.” Looye said her own experiences conducting research in Chile, Ecuador, and Brazil have influenced her perspective on development and social systems.
Returned fellows bring diverse backgrounds from countries such as Liberia, Morocco, and Paraguay. For example, Robert Eastman Johnson used his service experience in Morocco—where he helped develop a sustainable ceramic kiln system using waste products—as a basis for Fulbright research before returning to implement these solutions locally.
Fellows gain hands-on experience through internships at organizations like Center for Great Neighborhoods and Price Hill Will. Some alumni continue their careers where they interned; Kate Green began her work at Center for Great Neighborhoods before pursuing further roles in community development.
As Hayden Shelby prepares to lead the program into its next phase, DAAP plans to maintain its focus on building strong connections between students’ global perspectives and regional needs.
