Peace Corps Coverdell Fellows Program
Bring your dedication, passion, and global health world view into the profession of nursing.
After serving in villages around the world, bring your expertise to your clinical nursing education, applying the skills you’ve developed as a Peace Corps volunteer to your work with individual patients, communities, and neighborhoods in dynamic, urban Baltimore.
The top-ranked University of Maryland School of Nursing offers Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) an outstanding opportunity to build a health care career in nursing. Through service-learning experiences, you will improve people’s lives in underserved communities, build upon the skills and expertise you developed during your Peace Corps service, and advance the Peace Corps’ third goal: bringing the world back home.
Choose from the academic programs below.
Undergraduate:
Graduate:
- Master’s-Level Entry-Into-Nursing Program
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Community/Public Health Nursing specialty
Benefits
- As a Peace Corps Coverdell Fellow, you will receive partial scholarship support toward tuition and fees.
- Your Peace Corps experience strengthens your application, and you’ll receive specialized career mentoring from our Coverdell Fellows Program advisor.
- You’ll have opportunities to become involved in community programs throughout urban Baltimore.
- You can take courses or seminars focused on community engagement and population health.
- You will participate in service-learning activities in local West Baltimore communities.
Requirements
You'll indicate your interest in the Coverdell Fellows Program on your application to the University of Maryland School of Nursing, and an admissions representative will contact you to invite you to submit an essay expressing your interest. Your essay should cover the following:
- Why do you want to be a Peace Corps Coverdell Fellow at the University of Maryland School of Nursing?
- What goals would you like to accomplish by being in the program?
- What specific activities and service would you like to participate in as a Fellow?
- How do you envision linking your experience in the Peace Corps with communities in Baltimore?
- Are you willing to meet the requirements of the Peace Corps Coverdell Fellows Program, including other responsibilities as determined during the course of your nursing program?
- Are you willing to volunteer in a community-based organization that addresses the social determinants of health? Note that this may not necessarily be a health services organization.
- Describe your leadership qualities and how these could contribute to your role and service as a Peace Corps Coverdell Fellow.
Qualified candidates will be asked to participate in an interview (by phone or in person) with the program advisor.
Note that you must be admitted to either the BSN, CNL, or MSN program to accept the fellowship. Learn more about admission requirements.
Opportunities for Further Education
For applicants who hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing or are a licensed RN, the University of Maryland School of Nursing also offers master’s degrees; certificate programs; a doctoral-level nurse practitioner program with eight specialties, and a PhD degree.
RPCV Faculty
Our faculty have been around the world as Peace Corps volunteers and are here to network and share their experiences with you:
- Marik Moen, PhD, MPH, RN
- Amanda Roesch, DNP, MPH, FNP-C
- Kate Scott, DNP, MPH, CRNP, RN
- Stephanie Streb, DNP, MHS, RN, PMHNP-BC
Contact
To learn more about admission as a Peace Corps Coverdell Fellow, contact the Office of Admissions.