The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, October 5, 1993-3
.Peace Corps solicits students for volunteer service
Visiting recruiters call 'U' second-largest source of participants in foreign assistance, education program

By AMY MENSCH
FO THE DAILY
Students looking for an enriching
experience that will enhance their
resimes and help them find employ-
*mi1 after graduation should look no
fu ier than familiar campus build-
ing&.
Peace Corps recruiters will be
viw1ing the University all week to
e4 tin to students how to be com-
pe4Ilve for the Peace Corps and what
bedfits can be gained by working
ovetseas -whether service is in the
COj monwealth of Independent
States, Central Europe, Africa, Asia
or Latin America.'
Peace Corps recruiters tell stu-
dekts that the two years of service
provides them with valuable interna-
tional experience and will help give
them an edge over the competition in
today's competitive job market.
Author to
speak on
'rights of
disabled
By LORRAINE AIDOO
FOR THE DAILY
As the anniversary of the imple-
mentation of the Americans with Dis-
abilities Act approaches, groups and
individuals are assessing the quality
of life for disabled students on cam-
pus.
'Civil rights writer Joseph Shapiro
will offer his insights into the situa-
tion at a lecture this evening in the
Michigan Union Ballroom. Shapiro's
lecture is scheduled to begin at 7:30
P.m.
The speech is titled "The Disabil-
ity Civil Rights Movementin the U.S."
It is expected to address issues raised
in Shapiro's book "No Pity: People
with Disabilities Forging a New Civil
Rights Movement."
In the publication, Shapiro at-
tempts to explain how people with
disabilities are viewed in America
today. He explores the effects of the
Americans with Disabilities Act and
compares real progress with the
amount of change 'expected by the
legislators who drafted the plan.
According to the book, "It is
society's myths, fears and stereotypes
that most make being disabled diffi-
cult."
Shapiro is employed as a writer
for U.S. News and World Report.
His work addresses all civil rights
issues, including a special focus on
civil rights for those with disabilities.
Copies of "No Pity" will be on
sale at the event. Shapiro is planning
to autograph these books and discuss
his claims and observations.
Shapiro's visit is part of the
University's observance of "Invest-
ing in Ability Week 1993."
More events are planned for later
Sinthe week.

Kathy MacFarlane - a former
Peace Corps volunteer who worked
in Sierra Leone in West Africa from
1983-1985 and then worked for the
Peace Corps in Washington, D.C.-
agreed.
MacFarlane, who is working to-
ward a masters degree in environ-
mental education, said employers
"most definitely" look favorably upon
her experiences because "they know
that people who can finish their two
years of Peace Corps must have the
ability to persevere through challeng-
ing situations."
The Peace Corps is a govern-
ment-sponsored agency dedicated
to improving the quality of life of
people living in developing na-
tions.
Peace Corps volunteers help
people help themselves through edu-
cation, nutrition and vocational train-

ing. The Peace Corps also aims to
erase cultural biases by enlightening
people to other cultures.
Volunteers are required to serve
for a minimum of two years. The
agency provides volunteers with free
language training, expenses, cancel-
lation of some student loans and
$5,400 in savings for their return to
the United States.
The Peace Corps ranks the Uni-
versity No.2 in the nation for produc-
ing volunteers. The University of
Wisconsin at Madison is currently
ranked No. 1.
Lora Parisian, a public affairs of-
ficer for the Peace Corps Michigan
and Ohio region, said she believes the
"strong Peace Corps tradition at the
University of Michigan is due in part
to President Kennedy announcing the
creation of the Peace Corps on the
steps of the Michigan Union."

The Peace Corps Office for the
Michigan and Ohio region recruits at
colleges and universities throughout
these two states. While recruiters usu-
ally spend one or two days at other
colleges and universities, they spend
a full week at the University. Parisian
explained that "the volunteers we get
from the University of Michigan have
proven to be very fruitful and very
positive."
Although anyone is eligible to
serve in the Peace Corps, the applica-
tion process is very competitive. The
fields of study most in demand to
qualify for the Peace Corps include
the sciences, business, math, health,
agriculture, home economics and for-
estry.
The Peace Corps attempts to match
its recruits with the skills requested
by each country.
Only 1 percent of the volunteers

have a degree in the liberal arts. Pari-
sian said it also helps to be fluent in a
foreign language.
But Parisian said the Peace Corps
is not for everyone. Volunteers must
be willing to leave their friends and
families for an extended period of
time.
However, the program provides
volunteers with two years of hands-
on, projectmanager level experience.
The Peace Corps can "absolutely
enhance a persons resume because it
gives people an opportunity to get out
and help a country which needs their
skills," Parisian added.
Both Parisian and MacFarlane said
they would join the Peace Corps again.
They said volunteers get more out of
the program than they could possibly
give.
The Peace Corps makes educa-
tional opportunities available to vol-

unteers who complete the service. For
example, the Peace Corps Fellows/
USA Program offers scholarships or
discounted tuition to returned volun-
teers who enroll in graduate programs
in education, public health or busi-
ness at one of 22 universities nation-
wide, including the University.
In another program, Masters In-
ternationalist, participants complete
one year of graduate study at one of
20 universities, then serve in the Peace
Corps.
Participants are awardedamaster's
degree upon completion of their in-
ternational service.
Other scholarships and course
credit for Peace Corps service are
also available to returned volunteers
who pursue a graduate degree. Former
volunteers also receive preferential
consideration for some government
jobs.


HEY! MY HATI

As Tom Maddox, an Ann Arbor resident, was taking a
walk yesterday, a curious thing happened. A strong
gust of wind came out of the Northeast, sending
Maddox's hat flying off of his head and into the cold
abyss of the Huron River. A photographer happened by
and captured Maddox in a state of severe panic (left)
and his hat floating peacefully in the gently babbling
brook (below). Were this gentleman and his chapeau
ever reunited? Or did the hat sink into a watery grave
to sleep with the fishes forever? Alas, we shall never
know.

Ambassador
favors unity
in Europe
By RANDY LEBOWITZ
DAILY STAFF REPORTER
With nations warring and suffering from recession
throughout Europe, the notion of a European Economic
Community (EEC) unified by a common currency may
seem further away than ever to some people.
But Juan Cassiers, the ambassador of Belgium to the
United States thinks the time is approaching.
During a speech in the Rackham Amphitheater in front
of approximately 100 students and faculty of the Univer-
sity, Cassiers discussed the effort to create an economic
union among the member states of the EEC, as defined in
the Maastrict Treaty.
The main objective of this treaty is to establish a
common currency to be used by these countries. The treaty
would eliminate the trade barrier caused by the inconsis-
tency of exchange rates.
This idea is not new. Legislation has been proposed
since the '70s, when the concept met a series of objections
from countries unwilling to give up their sovereignty.
But now, he said, these countries have realized that the
benefits of this junction outweigh the disadvantages.
"This treaty will set up a board that will review the
regulation of trade to prevent the unfair processes of trade
which have occurred in the past," Cassiers said.
Cassiers stressed the need to strengthen all aspects of
community institutions and decision making processes.
He included the movement to improve the justice, immi-
gration, foreign, and security policies of these countries
along with an implementation of their conversion of fiscal
and economic policies.
"The old threat is gone, the prospectof apeaceful world
is-as-remote as ever because of local wars, and terrorism,"
he said. "I think that the sense in Europe is the historical
sense of saying that free trade is in danger."
Cassiers regarded the North Atlantic Treaty Organiza-
tion (NATO) as an insurance policy that would serve as a
support system to this unification movement.
He did, however, recognize that each of the 12 countries
- England, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Bel-.
gium, Netherlands, Portugal, Luxembourg, Ireland and
Denmark - has distinct characteristics that may impede
the push toward unification.
"If we are to succeed in preserving the freedom of world
trade, the proper rules of international behavior must be
observed," he said.

EUZASETH LIPPMAWily

EUZABETH LIPPMANI~aIIy


Report: 37n
SUITLAND, Md. (AP)-- The number
of poor Americans grew by 1.2 million in
1992, the government said yesterday in a
report that paints a portrait of an underclass
that is disproportionately young and with-
out health insurance.
Analysts blamed stubborn unemploy-
ment and declining social services in the
aftermath of the recession.
The Census Bureau said there were 36.9
million poor Americans last year, account-
ing for 14.5 percent of the population. That
was up three-tenths of a point from 1991
and the highest poverty rate since 15.2 per-
cent in 1983.
The 1992 poverty line for a family of
four was $14,335. For someone living alone,

ilhon Americans are poor

it was $7,143.
The government said 37.4 million Ameri-
cans, or 14.7 percent of the population,
lacked health insurance in 1992, an increase
of 2 million.
"Obviously the administration is sad-
dened but not surprised by those figures,"
White House deputy press secretary Lorraine
Voles said. "It underscores the need for
health care reform in our country."
Forty percent of the poor were children
under 18, even though they comprised only
26 percent of the U.S. population. Their
1992 poverty rate, 21.9 percent, was higher
than for any other age group.
Those numbers rang true forCarol Wynn,
foster care director for Ada S. McKinley

Community Services in Chicago, a govern-
ment-funded center that provides care for
400 children.
In the past year, the center has been
overwhelmed by walk-ins, mostly parents
who need drug treatment, food, medicine or
an escape from an abusive home.
"Typically, what they come here for
is not what we're here for. In the past
year, it's increased phenomenally,"
Wynn said.
The Census Bureau said African and
Hispanic Americans were about three
times more likely to be poor than whites.
The poverty rate for African Americans
was 33.3 percent; for Hispanics, it was 29.3
percent. Both were slightly higher than 1991.

Correction
School of Public Health graduate student Vineet Shah is not coordinating the Indian American Students' Association
drive to collect funds to help victims of Thursday's earthquake in India. A group of students has volunteered to work
onthe project, but Shah has notassumed a leadership role in the project. As well, the Indian Students' Association (IS A)
ould like students who are interested in donating to its fundraising drive to contact the ISA at 763-5363 or 763-8483.
This information was incorrectly reported in yesterday's Daily.

e Th

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find one. But if you're a nurs- an Army officer, you'll command the
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F

Student groups
Q Anthropology Club, meeting,
LS&A Building, Room 2553,7
p.m.
Q American Movement for Is-
rael, meeting, Hillel, upstairs,
7 p.m.
O College Republicans, weekly
meeting, Michigan Leauge,
Third Floor Room D, 6:30 p.m.
O Chinese Cultural Association,
mass meeting, Michigan
Leauge, Henderson Room, 8
p.m.
Q Christian Science Organiza-
tion, weekly, meeting, Michi-
gan League, checkroom atfront
desk, 7 p.m.
Q Phi Sigma Pi, rush meeting,

U Undergraduate Law Club,
Dennis Shields, Dean of Ad-
missions, Hutchins hall, Room
218, 6 p.m., call 994-7008 for
info

Events
O Brown BagLunch Series, Sym-
bolic Unity: A quasi-semiotic
approach to the question of
China's National Identity, Lane
HallCommons Room, 12noon
Q International Forum, Tuesday
lunch, Sarajevo: City of Death
and City of Hope, Colleen Lon-
don, International Center, Room
9, 12noon
U Meditation, Harvey Guthrie,
sponsored by Canterbury

Student services
O Career Planning & Placement,
Swiss Bank Corporation/Capi-
tal Markets & Treasury &
O'Connor& Associates presen-
tation, Michigan Union,
Kuenzel Room, 7p.m.; Allstate
Insurance Company Michigan
Union Anderson Room, 7 p.m.
O Practical trainingandEmploy-
ment for International Stu-
dents, international Center,
Room 9,2 p.m.
U Psychology Academic Peer
Advising, sponsored by the psy-
chology department, West
Quad, Room K103, 11 a.m.-4
p.m., call 747-3711 for info
U Safewalk Nighttime Safety

PdUGLIUdLLUICOP 7L1aLL7LLLLMafJLILLLLLLLOLALaw

ARMY NURSE CORPS. BE ALL YOU CAN BE.

aasuaa..s va Tvua ,., .......a.. ..,..... ........... .. .

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