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Peace Corps
Agency overview

Formed	March 1, 1961 (1961-03-01)
Jurisdiction	United States government
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Annual budget	US$410.5 million (FY 2022)
Agency executives	Dr. Allison Greene, Chief Executive Officer Cheryl Gregory Faye, Deputy Chief Executive Officer Julie Burns, Acting Chief of Staff

The Peace Corps is a special program of the United States government. It trains and sends American volunteers to help communities in countries around the world. President John F. Kennedy started the Peace Corps in March 1961. Congress officially approved it later that year.

The main goal of the Peace Corps is to help countries grow and improve. Volunteers share their skills in areas like education, health, and community building. American citizens, usually with a college degree, join the program. They get three months of training. Then, they serve for at least two years in a host country. Volunteers are encouraged to learn the local language and respect local customs.

When it first started, the Peace Corps had 900 volunteers in 16 countries. By 1966, it grew to over 15,000 volunteers in 52 countries. Over 240,000 Americans have joined the Peace Corps since it began. They have served in 142 countries.

History of the Peace Corps

How the Idea Started (1950s)

President John F. Kennedy greets Peace Corps volunteers in 1961.

The idea for the Peace Corps began in the 1950s. Walter Reuther, a union leader, suggested sending young Americans abroad. They would help with humanitarian and development projects. He believed that helping people with "tools of peace" was better than sending "guns of war."

Many members of the U.S. Congress also liked the idea. In 1951, then-Representative John F. Kennedy suggested that young college graduates could help people in the Middle East. Senator Hubert H. Humphrey, Jr. introduced the first bill to create the Peace Corps in 1957. He felt it was very important.

The idea gained more attention in 1959. Congressman Henry S. Reuss proposed a "Point Four Youth Corps." In 1960, a study was done to see if the idea was practical.

Starting the Peace Corps (1960s)

In August 1960, Walter Reuther spoke with John F. Kennedy. Kennedy then promised to create the Peace Corps. He first announced the idea on October 14, 1960, at the University of Michigan. He called it the "Peace Corps."

Some people did not like the idea. Richard M. Nixon, Kennedy's opponent, thought it would be a way for people to avoid responsibilities. Others wondered if young graduates had enough skills. But students were excited about it, and Kennedy moved forward.

On March 1, 1961, President Kennedy signed an order to officially start the Peace Corps. He wanted it to show a different side of America to the world. Kennedy appointed his brother-in-law, Sargent Shriver, as the first director. Shriver helped plan the organization and its goals.

The first group of volunteers left for Ghana and Tanzania on August 28, 1961. By 1963, over 7,300 volunteers were serving in 44 countries. This number grew to 15,000 by 1966.

The Peace Corps faced some challenges early on. In 1961, a volunteer's postcard describing "primitive living conditions" in Nigeria caused controversy. Some Nigerian students thought the volunteers were spies. This led to protests, but eventually, the students and volunteers talked things out.

Peace Corps and the Vietnam War

The Vietnam War affected the Peace Corps. Joining the Peace Corps became an option for some people during the war. This was because it could sometimes lead to a delay in military service.

Many Peace Corps volunteers around the world also protested the Vietnam War. The Peace Corps, as a government program, had to decide how to handle these protests. Over time, the Peace Corps became more understanding of volunteers expressing their views, as long as it wasn't too public.

Changes Over Time (1970s-1990s)

In 1971, President Richard Nixon moved the Peace Corps under a larger agency called ACTION. However, President Jimmy Carter believed strongly in the program. His mother had even served as a nurse in the Peace Corps at age 70. In 1979, Carter made the Peace Corps an independent agency again. This was made official by law in 1981.

In the 1980s, funding cuts reduced the number of volunteers. But by 1985, funding increased again. The number of volunteers grew to 10,000 by 1992.

Peace Corps Today (2000s-Present)

Peace Corps trainees become volunteers in Madagascar in 2006.

After the September 11 attacks in 2001, President George W. Bush wanted to double the size of the Peace Corps. He saw it as a way to improve America's image abroad. Funding increased, but not enough to double the size.

President Barack Obama also proposed to double the Peace Corps' size in 2008. The number of applicants changed over the years. The Peace Corps has also worked to recruit more diverse volunteers, including older people and people from different backgrounds. In 1961, only 1% of volunteers were over 50. Today, about 5% are.

In March 2020, all Peace Corps volunteers around the world had to return home. This was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was the first time in history that all volunteers were pulled out. In June 2020, the Peace Corps also ended its programs in China.

How to Join the Peace Corps

A Peace Corps recruitment advertisement from 1990.

If you are interested in joining the Peace Corps, here are some things to know:

You must be at least 18 years old.
You must be a U.S. citizen.
It's a good idea to apply six to nine months before you want to leave.
You will have an interview.
You can apply for one placement each year.

Peace Corps projects are in six main areas:

Agriculture
Environment
Community Economic Development
Health
Education
Youth in Development

Most positions require a bachelor's degree, but this can vary. Volunteers do not get a salary. However, their travel costs are paid, and they receive money for basic living expenses. Volunteers serve for two years, with three months of training in the host country.

Peace Corps Initiatives

The Peace Corps works on many important projects around the world.

Health and Education

Volunteers teach communities about different illnesses and how to prevent them. They also share modern farming techniques to help people grow more food. The Peace Corps also supports equal education for girls in countries like Liberia and Ethiopia. In 2015, they partnered with USAID to support the Let Girls Learn initiative.

Fighting Malaria in Africa

Since 2011, the Peace Corps has focused on helping control malaria in Africa. Volunteers work in 24 African countries to prevent this disease.

Environmental Programs

The Peace Corps offers many environmental programs. These include:

Protected-Areas Management: Volunteers help manage parks and teach about saving natural resources.
Environment Education: They teach in schools and youth programs about environmental issues.
Forestry: Projects help communities protect forests and use natural resources wisely. This includes planting trees and managing soil.

Peace Corps Response

Peace Corps Response is a program for former volunteers. It sends them on shorter, high-impact assignments, usually for three to twelve months. This program was created in 1996. It helps communities recover from disasters like hurricanes or earthquakes.

Language Education

The Peace Corps has created resources to help teachers in the U.S. and other countries teach over 100 languages. These resources include text, recordings, and lesson plans.

Rules and Laws for the Peace Corps

Executive Orders

The Peace Corps was first started by an executive order from the President. Several other executive orders have changed how it works over the years. These orders help guide the Peace Corps' activities.

Federal Laws

The laws that govern the Peace Corps are found in Title 22 of the United States Code. This part of the law deals with foreign relations.

Rules for Former Volunteers

There are special rules for people who have served in the Peace Corps. For example, they cannot work in military intelligence for four years after their service. They are also permanently not allowed to work in military intelligence in any country where they volunteered. They cannot apply to work for the Central Intelligence Agency for five years after their service.

Peace Corps Leadership

Directors of the Peace Corps

The Director is the main leader of the Peace Corps. The President nominates the Director, and the Senate must approve them.

As of August 2025, Dr. Allison Greene is the Chief Executive Officer. Cheryl Gregory Faye is the Deputy Chief Executive Officer.

Here is a list of past directors:

No.	Director	Service dates	Appointed by	Summary of Wikipedia page
1	R. Sargent Shriver	1961–1966	Kennedy	President Kennedy appointed Shriver three days after signing the executive order. Volunteers arrived in five countries during 1961. In just under six years, Shriver developed programs in 55 countries with more than 14,500 volunteers.
2	Jack Vaughn	1966–1969	Johnson	Vaughn improved marketing, programming, and volunteer support as large numbers of former volunteers joined the staff. He also promoted volunteer assignments in conservation, natural resource management, and community development.
3	Joseph Blatchford	1969–1971	Nixon	Blatchford served as head of the new ACTION agency, which included the Corps. He created the Office of Returned Volunteers to help volunteers serve in their communities at home, and initiated New Directions, a program emphasizing volunteer skills.
4	Kevin O'Donnell	1971–1972	Nixon	O'Donnell's appointment was the first for a former Peace Corps country director (Korea, 1966–70). He fought budget cuts, and believed strongly in a non-career Peace Corps.
5	Donald Hess	1972–1973	Nixon	Hess initiated training of volunteers in the host country where they would eventually serve, using host country nationals. The training provided more realistic preparation, and costs dropped for the agency. Hess also sought to end the downsizing of the Peace Corps.
6	Nicholas Craw	1973–1974	Nixon	Craw sought to increase the number of volunteers in the field and to stabilize the agency's future. He introduced a goal-setting measurement plan, the Country Management Plan, which gained increased Congressional support and improved resource allocation across the 69 participating countries.
7	John Dellenback	1975–1977	Ford	Dellenback improved volunteer health care available. He emphasized recruiting generalists. He believed in committed applicants even those without specific skills and instead training them for service.
8	Carolyn R. Payton	1977–1978	Carter	Payton was the first female director and the first African American. She focused on improving volunteer diversity.
9	Richard F. Celeste	1979–1981	Carter	Celeste focused on the role of women in development and increased women and minority participation, particularly for staff positions. He invested heavily in training, including the development of a worldwide core curriculum.
10	Loret Miller Ruppe	1981–1989	Reagan	Ruppe was the longest-serving director and championed women in development roles. She launched the Competitive Enterprise Development program, the Caribbean Basin Initiative, the Initiative for Central America and the African Food Systems Initiative.
11	Paul Coverdell	1989–1991	G.H.W. Bush	Coverdell established two programs with a domestic focus. World Wise Schools enabled U.S. students to correspond with overseas volunteers. Fellows/USA assisted Returned Peace Corps volunteers in pursuing graduate studies while serving local communities.
12	Elaine Chao	1991–1992	G.H.W. Bush	Chao was the first Asian American director. She expanded Peace Corps' presence in Eastern Europe and Central Asia by establishing the first Peace Corps programs in Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and other newly independent countries.
13	Carol Bellamy	1993–1995	Clinton	Bellamy was the first RPCV (Returned Peace Corps volunteer) (Guatemala 1963–65) to be director. She reinvigorated relations with former volunteers and launched the Corps' web site.
14	Mark D. Gearan	1995–1999	Clinton	Gearan established the Crisis Corps, a program that allows former volunteers to help overseas communities recover from natural disasters and humanitarian crises. He supported expanding the corps and opened new volunteer programs in South Africa, Jordan, Bangladesh and Mozambique.
15	Mark L. Schneider	1999–2001	Clinton	Schneider was the second RPCV (El Salvador, 1966–68) to head the agency. He launched an initiative to increase volunteers' participation in helping prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa, and also sought volunteers to work on information technology projects.
16	Gaddi Vasquez	2002–2006	G.W. Bush	Gaddi H. Vasquez was the first Hispanic American director. His focus was to increase volunteer and staff diversity. He also led the establishment of a Peace Corps program in Mexico.
17	Ron Tschetter	September 2006 – 2008	G.W. Bush	The third RPCV to head the agency, Tschetter served in India in the mid-1960s. He launched an initiative known as the "50 and Over," to increase the participation of older men and women.
18	Aaron S. Williams	August 2009 – September 2012	Obama	Aaron S. Williams became director on August 24, 2009. Mr. Williams is the fourth director to have served as a volunteer. Williams cited personal and family considerations as the reason for his stepping down as Peace Corps Director on September 17, 2012.
19	Carrie Hessler-Radelet	September 2012 – 2017	Obama	Carrie Hessler-Radelet became acting Director of the Peace Corps in September 2012. Previously, Hessler-Radelet served as deputy director of the Peace Corps from June 23, 2010, until her appointment as acting Director. From 1981 to 1983, she served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Western Samoa with her husband, Steve. She was confirmed as Director on June 5, 2014.
20	Jody Olsen	February 2018 – January 2021	Trump	Jody Olsen was confirmed Director of the Peace Corps on February 27, 2018. Olsen previously served the Peace Corps as acting director in 2009, deputy director from 2002 to 2009, Chief of Staff from 1989 to 1992, Regional Director, North Africa Near East, Asia, Pacific from 1981 to 1984, and Country Director in Togo from 1979 to 1981. Olsen also served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tunisia from 1966 to 1968.
21	Carol Spahn	January 2023 – January 2025	Biden	Carol Spahn previously served in acting capacity in this position from January to November 2021. She was then appointed CEO of the Peace Corps and served from November 2021 to November 2022, later being nominated to director in April 2022. Spahn also served as Chief of Operations for Eastern and Southern Africa, Country Director for Malawi, and a volunteer in Romania.

Deputy Director

The Deputy Director is the second-highest leader in the Peace Corps. This position also needs approval from the Senate.

Inspector General

The Peace Corps also has an Inspector General. This person checks all the programs and operations of the Peace Corps. They make sure everything is working correctly and efficiently. The Inspector General also investigates any claims of wrongdoing by volunteers or staff.