Newswise — The Johns Hopkins School of Nursing (JHSON) will host a special event with the Peace Corps Monday, October 23, 2023 to highlight how making a difference through service can inspire a career in health care. U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen and Peace Corps Director Carol Spahn will provide brief remarks underscoring the impact of service in molding tomorrow’s leaders.

The event will also include a panel discussion moderated by JHSON Dean Sarah Szanton and panelists Dr. Kamila Alexander, a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and Associate Professor, and Haley Brudish, a current Peace Corps Volunteer serving in the Dominican Republic.

“There are many Returned Peace Corps Volunteers in our community, and the relationship is rewarding and impactful on both sides,” says Dean Sarah Szanton, PhD, RN, FAAN. “We are invested in the vision of the Peace Corps, and in learning through immersive service, so we invest in students, too.”

Returned Peace Corps Volunteers applying for the MSN (Entry Into Nursing) program are eligible for the Coverdell Fellowship, which offers up to seven $30,000 Coverdell Scholarships annually, as well as the Gurtler Scholarship, which offers one $60,000 scholarship annually.. They also receive priority in the admissions process, personal career mentoring, and join a community of other Returned Volunteers across Johns Hopkins. 

Although the Coverdell Fellows Program was already established in other disciplines, the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing was the first school of nursing to welcome the program, and now it boasts the largest Coverdell Fellows Program in nursing and health care. The school has Coverdell Fellow alumni who have served in more than 40 countries.