FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, May 07, 2004
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Peace Corps
Contact: Press Office
Phone: 202.692.2230
Fax: 202.692.2201
Email:
pressoffice@peacecorps.gov |
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer First to Become a U.S. Astronaut |
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WASHINGTON, D.C. - Yesterday, Peace Corps Director Gaddi H. Vasquez met with
Joe Acaba to congratulate him on becoming the first ever former Peace Corps
volunteer to become a U.S. astronaut. Director Vasquez presented Acaba with a
Peace Corps patch and pin to commemorate the occasion.
“You
are a role model and inspiration for future Peace Corps volunteers,” stated
Director Vasquez. “We’d like you to take this small token of your Peace Corps
experience with you when you travel into space.”
Named yesterday as one of NASA’s newest 11 astronauts, Acaba, 36, is a former
Peace Corps volunteer who served in the Dominican Republic from 1994-1996. Acaba
said he credits his Peace Corps experience with helping to lay the groundwork
for this newest career endeavor.
“I learned a lot of great skills [as a Peace Corps volunteer], and I’m sure
it helped in the selection process, being able to live in that type of
environment,” said Acaba.
Acaba, who grew up in Anaheim, Calif., left a career as a hydrogeologist to
join the Peace Corps, where he served as an environmental educator.
“The Peace Corps was my first job as a teacher,” he said. “Once I did that, I
really knew I wanted to teach.”
Most recently, Acaba has been teaching math and science to 7th and 8th grade
students at Dunnellon Middle School in Florida. Now, he will take his teaching
skills, from the Peace Corps and Florida, to space to inspire the next
generation of students and explorers. Acaba was one of three Mission Specialist
Educators chosen for the new 2004 astronaut class. For the next year, he will
train with astronauts, and then Acaba, who is Latino, hopes to reach out to
minority students as an educator astronaut.
Acaba, who speaks fondly of his years in the Peace Corps, still wears his
“Peace Corps” ring everyday that he purchased in the Dominican Republic. He,
along with other volunteers in his group, bought rings to signify their Peace
Corps experience from a resident involved in a Peace Corps small business
development project.
“I’m proud to have been a Peace Corps volunteer,” he said.
Acaba joins the growing list of congressmen and senators, governors,
diplomats, educators, doctors, writers, journalists and other notable Americans
who have served as Peace Corps volunteers.
Since 1961, more than 171,000 volunteers have served in the Peace Corps,
working in such diverse fields as education, health, HIV/AIDS education and
prevention, information technology, business development, the environment, and
agriculture. Peace Corps volunteers must be U.S. citizens and at least 18 years
of age. Peace Corps service is a two-year commitment.
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