Haley Davenport – a recent COSSPP alum (B.S. International Affairs and B.A. History ‘22) – has been serving as an English Education Volunteer in Rwanda since graduating from Florida State University.
In June 2022, she was accepted to serve 27 months, about two and a half years, with the United States Peace Corps.
“Being in the Peace Corps in Rwanda has allowed me to not only have the opportunity to help members of my community, but it has also given me the opportunity to learn so much about myself,” Davenport said. “The Peace Corps has also helped me to gain new skills, such as intercultural communication, which I believe will assist me in my career aspirations of being in the foreign service.”
With the Peace Corps, Davenport teaches English at a government-funded school in a small village in southern Rwanda. She has a passion for teaching English to primary-aged students and her teacher colleagues at the school.
On top of teaching English, Davenport has also learned Kinyarwanda, the local language in her region of Rwanda. She also enjoys visiting her friends and neighbors, hiking, and exploring the country with other Peace Corps volunteers.
While pursuing a dual degree in International Affairs and History, she earned a Global Citizenship Certificate (GCC), which prepares students to succeed in a global workforce.
The certificate is administered by the Center for Global Engagement and its academic home is located in the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy’s International Affairs Program.
Students in the program take four academic courses, attend eight intercultural events, and complete one sustained intercultural experience to develop the skills to work with individuals from a variety of backgrounds.
“Completing the GCC program has made me become more open-minded and willing to learn more about societies outside of the U.S.,” Davenport said.
Davenport thanks FSU faculty members for pushing her to move abroad and widen her worldview.
“At FSU, I had many professors, such as the GCC’s Program Director Dr. Elçin Haskollar who inspired me to think beyond myself and realize how much is really out there in the world,” Davenport said. “Many of these professors taught me valuable life lessons, skills, and attitudes that I will continue to remember!”
As an undergraduate at FSU, she was also heavily involved in student organizations, such as CHAARG, a health and fitness organization that strives to teach women that fitness can and should be fun.
Davenport will continue to serve in Rwanda until August 2024. After her service ends, she hopes to go to graduate school to earn a master’s in International Educational Policy.
To learn more about the Peace Corps mission in Rwanda, click here. Also, check out their Instagram: @PeaceCorpsRwanda.
For more information about the Global Citizenship Certificate, visit cge.fsu.edu/globalcitizen.