2011 marks 50 years since President John F. Kennedy signed the executive order that created the Peace Corps. With 200,000 Americans having volunteered through the agency since its founding, the Peace Corps has emerged as one of the nation's beloved institutions, symbolizing our country's best intentions to help those in need and to better understand people from across the globe. More than 1,800 UCLA alumni have served in the Corps, making UCLA the # 8 producer of volunteers in the nation.

Wednesday, March 02, 2011
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
UCLA Royce Hall
340 Royce Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90095

Chris Matthews, MSNBC host and returned Peace Corps volunteer (Swaziland) will moderate the evening panel, “Peace Corps: The Next 50 Years”. The discussion will center on the legacy and the future of the Peace Corps. The panel includes:

• Frank Mankiewicz ’47; former regional Peace Corps director for Latin America; former director of National Public Radio; and former press secretary for Sen. Robert F. Kennedy
• Maureen Orth M.S. ’69, Vanity Fair special correspondent, returned Peace Corps volunteer (Colombia) and founder of the Marina Orth Foundation
• Haskell Sears Ward M.A. ’67, SEACOM senior VP government relations and returned Peace Corps volunteer (Ethiopia)
• Aaron S. Williams, Peace Corps director and returned Peace Corps volunteer (Dominican Republic)
• Francoise Castro ’01, State Department program analyst and returned Peace Corps volunteer (Mozambique)

There will be a dessert reception immediately following the event. The UCLA-Peace Corps exhibit in Powell Library will be open as well and takes a look back at the 1960s, when the Peace Corps first started and more than 2,000 young recruits were trained on UCLA’s campus. (Exhibit to remain open through the end of April.)

Please RSVP by Friday, February 25, 2011

Sponsor(s): Burkle Center for International Relations