One Woman’s Motivation Statement

A major aspect of the Peace Corps Application is the essays you have to write. They reminded me of my junior year of high school, writing practice college admission essays. Luckily, I usually don't have problems writing essays, so I thought I'd post mine up for ya'll to check out. The first one is my Motivation Essay. This essay must consist of two parts:

1) Your reasons for wanting to serve as a Peace Corps Volunteer; and
2) How these reasons are related to your past experiences and life goals.

Below is my Motivation Essay.

In the spring semester of my sophomore year at UNC Charlotte, I took a course titled Citizenship and Service Practicum. The first day of class, the professor asked us who had volunteered before, and I was one of a minority to raise my hand, which really surprised me. I never thought that most people rarely volunteer, because it was always so common in my childhood.

Without a doubt, my parents worked hard to instill values in me which I eagerly adopted. My mother and father strongly value hard work, compassion, and respect, and through their example and teaching, I, too, learned to support those values. They also encouraged me to uphold these values through my actions. I remember always participating in the Crop Walk with my father, and volunteering at soup kitchens when I was younger. When I was an active member of Girl Scouts and my church youth group, I participated in various community service activities.

I feel that to be a successful contributor to my community, whether it’s in North Carolina or in a country I’ve never visited before, then my profession should include the values I’ve worked hard to sustain in my life. I don’t view the countries the Peace Corps serves as charity cases, in need of our pity and self-sacrifice, but as places that could benefit from the contributions I could make, and the values I uphold.

The mission of the Peace Corps is to promote understanding among Americans and other countries, and I am a strong proponent of increased understanding among different cultures and countries. The main reason I want to volunteer with the Peace Corps is because its values commonly align with my own, as evidenced by the mission of the Peace Corps. And even if I am making a small contribution to a positive cause, then I can be confident in knowing that the contributions I make through the Peace Corps are ones I will fully support and defend.