A Photographic Celebration: 60 Years of Peace Corps Service

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Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Wisconsin–Madison

An image captured in Ghana, part of the exhibit "A Photographic Celebration: 60 Years of Peace Corps Service."

This exhibit coordinated by Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Wisconsin-Madison about life in the Peace Corps draws from some 60 years of photos from the yearly RPCV of Wisconsin International calendar. This weekend includes a half-day in-person question-fielding session at the Capitol, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Jan. 22, with current recruiters who can answer questions about volunteering. The Capitol is open 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.

media release: Since 1961, over 60 years of Peace Corps, more than 240,000 volunteers have served in 142 countries worldwide for many reasons: to work by invitation at the community level, to serve their country as mini-ambassadors of American good will, to travel the world and become comfortable in it to share that experience back home. We respond to President John F. Kennedy’s message:

“Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.”

 For the last 34 years, the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Wisconsin – Madison have celebrated Peace Corps service every month of the year by producing the International Calendar. For this 60^th Anniversary, they have prepared a traveling exhibit from their photo archives of photos that demonstrate the beauty and diversity of the countries and people. These will be on display at the Capitol Rotunda for two weeks of January 18-30 for public self-guided exploration.

 As a special event, on Saturday, January 22, returned volunteers will be on-hand from 10 am – 2 pm for Talking Peace Corps to stand with the photos, answer questions, and talk about their service and what it meant to them. Copies of the 2022 International Calendar will be available as well as materials about Peace Corps opportunities. The UW Campus Peace Corps Recruiter will also be on-hand to answer questions about service for ages 18 – 92, or practical questions like “how do I apply?” or “are there any options besides a two-year commitment?”

A few special guests that will be some of our Talking Peace Corps speakers on Saturday, January 22, include:

Dr. Mary Frantz (retired) and her husband Dr. John Frantz (deceased) were volunteers in Afghanistan from 1968-1970. They served with three of their children, during a short window when children were allowed. Stationed in Jalalabad, they taught medicine. For over 50 years they worked together at the Monroe Clinic in Monroe, Wisconsin practicing medicine.

Chris Brooks served in Nepal in the Agriculture sector from 2018 until he was evacuated in March 2020. He is now a graduate student at the UW-Madison La Follette School of Public Affairs, working on his Masters in Public Affairs (MIPA).

Stephanie Bartholomew (retired) served in Nepal from 1992-1993 working with women in non-formal education situations. Upon her return, she achieved her Masters in Education, then worked as a French teacher at Middleton High School throughout her post-Peace Corps career. She has been accepted to Peace Corps Belize, one of the first eight countries expected to reopen very soon.

John Ferrick (UW Emeritus) served in Lesotho from 1981-1984 in the Education sector. He later worked as a Peace Corps staff member in Papua New Guinea from 1989-1991. Fast forward a few more years, and he was Director at the UW-Madison College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), where (among many other duties) managed the Peace Corps Campus Recruiter position.

The traveling exhibit moves to the Sun Prairie Library for the month of February. The photos are available for public display at community centers, libraries, schools, churches and businesses.