Former student, Noah Winter, MSE ’17, has been accepted into the Peace Corps as a rural aquaculture extension specialist in Zambia.

Winter first began considering the Peace Corps after attending the Fall 2016 All Majors Career Fair. “It seemed like an interesting job that would offer valuable experience while providing a way to help others.” A few months later, he was certain he wanted to apply, but waited until February 2017 for the posting of positions with 2018 departure dates.

After getting advice on the application essay from MSE Senior Academic Professional Amanda Gable and receiving a professional reference from Mary Lynn Realff, associate professor and associate chair for undergrad programs, he applied for the position of rural aquaculture extension specialist in Zambia. While some applicants wait months for an interview, Winter was contacted less than a week later.

He received an official invitation to join in July, and began the process of legal and medical clearance, which just concluded. He departed for Zambia on February 12. During the first three months of his service, Winter will live with a host family in Zambia to become fully immersed in the country’s language and culture. After acquiring the necessary skills to assist his community, he will be sworn into service and assigned to a community in Zambia to live and work for two years with the local people.

Winter will assist fish farming communities to start and improve construction of fishponds, increase production, integrate aquaculture with agriculture, increase incomes from ponds, and strengthen fish farming groups. The Peace Corps "is not just a job to get experience--it's something different and a way to give back. . . . and, I've always liked fish!"

He will work in cooperation with the local people and partner organizations on sustainable, community-based development projects that improve the lives of people in Zambia while developing leadership, technical and cross-cultural skills that will give him a competitive edge when he returns home. Peace Corps volunteers return from service as global citizens well positioned for professional opportunities in today’s global job market.

Winter joins an elite group of 18 Georgia Tech volunteers currently serving in the Peace Corps, and one of 320 GT grads who have served in Peace Corps since 1962.

About Peace Corps/Zambia: There are more than 235 Volunteers in Zambia working with their communities on projects in agriculture, education, the environment, and health. During their service in Zambia, Volunteers learn to speak local languages, including Bemba, Chitonga, Kaonde, Lunda, Mambwe-Lungu, and Nyanja. More than 1,940 Peace Corps Volunteers have served in Zambia since the program was established in 1994.

from: http://www.mse.gatech.edu/news/noah-winter-mse-%E2%80%9917-entering-peace-corps?utm_source=dailydigest&utm_campaign=march6&utm_content=noahwinter