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CNN Interviews Director Tschetter, Beryl Cheal on 50+
CNN American Morning (N.Y.),
August 14, 2007 Director Tschetter talks to Kiran Chetry as a guest on CNN American Morning.
Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter is joined by Peace Corps Volunteer Beryl Cheal in a television interview talking about bringing baby boomers into the Peace Corps. Chetry shows photos of her as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nepal in the '1970's, and her father in Nepal at around the same time as a Peace Corps staff member, and explains that her parnets met while her mother was in the Peace Corps.
Director Ron Tschetter talks about the evolution of the Peace Corps, and the advantages of having 50+ Volunteers in the Peace Corps' ranks.
Here is a transcript of the interview broadcast on CNN American Morning:
CHETRY: Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING.
They say it's the toughest job you'll ever love, the Peace Corps; 46 years ago, President John Kennedy started the volunteer corps of trained men and women to help other countries. The volunteers were young; they were idealistic, and plentiful.
In fact, here's a shot of my mom who served in the Peace Corps in Nepal, back in the '70s.
Now the Peace Corps is looking for whole new group of volunteers, baby boomers to heed the call, yet again. Why the new recruiting drive? Joining me now is the director of the Peace Corps Ron Tschetter, as well as one of the new volunteers, Beryl Cheal.
Thank you so much for being with us, both of you.
RON TSCHETTER, DIRECTOR, PEACE CORPS: Well, you're welcome. It's a pleasure to be here.
CHETRY: So, we're talking about this push to get the baby boomers, or those over 50 into the Peace Corps. Why?
TSCHETTER: If we think about who they are, they have been in business, education, whatever profession they've chosen for 30 to 35 years. And they're nearing retirement and entering or nearing retirement, and they have a real service mentality. Market research tells us that. Plus, they bring 30 years of skill.
CHETRY: Beryl, you're one of them. You joined the Peace Corps at the age of 69. What was the experience like for you?
BERYL CHEAL, PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER: It was great. Hard sometimes. But, overall, it was really wonderful. Really life changing, even at that age.
CHETRY: What made you decide this is what you wanted to do?
CHEAL: Well, it's kind of like that was the culture in my family, that you helped people. And it didn't matter where or who, but you just did that. So it came naturally to me that I wanted to go to the Peace Corps.
CHETRY: You actually received a presidential award for your 4,000 plus hours of service. And you're getting ready to head back to Africa?
CHEAL: To Africa in November, yes.
CHETRY: Congratulations.
So, your average age of a Peace Corps volunteer is still 27 years old, but you have this 50 plus group expanded that by 5 percent so far?
TSCHETTER: Yes. Well, today, 5 percent of our volunteers are over the age of 50. And I think that should be larger. And I think probably in the next couple of years I'd like to take that to at least 10 percent and maybe even a little more than that. Because they bring such a rich history, and experience to the Peace Corps experience. It really will impact what we do aboard.
CHETRY: Interesting. My mother went over to Nepal and actually met her husband. And so she talks about the Peace Corps not only as having a huge impact on her career and her goals, but also her love life, and her future.
TSCHETTER: Well, yes. And there's many stories like that. Kiran, your mother -- your father, was a Peace Corps staff member I believe in Nepal at the time.
CHETRY: Right.
TSCHETTER: Those kind of unions do take place, and still do, this day and age. Many ways life-changing experience, no question about that.
CHETRY: It really is. Thanks for telling us more and joining us to talk more about this push to get the 50 plus. And congratulations to you, us more and joining us to talk more about this push to get the 50 plus. And congratulations to you, Beryl. I hope you have a blast. And have a really great experience in Africa. Beryl Cheal, as well as Ron Tschetter, the Peace Corps director.
Thanks to both of you for being with us today.
TSCHETTER: Thank you. It's a pleasure to be here.
CHEAL: Thank you.
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