SUNY entered into an agreement with the Peace Corps on Tuesday, Sept. 6 that will allow its graduate students to earn a Master’s degree in conjuncture with serving in the Peace Corps.

Students who enroll in any of SUNY’s 28 graduate schools will now be able to take advantage of the Peace Corps’ Masters International (PCMI) program, which combines Peace Corps Volunteers’ community-level service in countries overseas with advanced studies in areas such as agriculture, education, health and youth development.

This is the first time the Peace Corps has ever partnered with any state university system. As per the Memorandum of Cooperation it signed in New York City last week, the SUNY administration will have authority to approve individual programs for Masters International credit.

“We can work with departments around New York State and establish programs in any area — [the Peace Corps] has given us the authority to approve the degrees within the Peace Corps within the Peace Corps,” explained Sally Crimmins Villela, assistant vice chancellor for global affairs at SUNY.

Vinny Wickes, regional manager for the New York recruitment office for the PCMI program, expressed praise for the program’s new partner.

“I think that SUNY is the premium higher learning state school system,” Wickes said. “My interest was to have the Peace Corps partner with SUNY because I think [it is] the best.”

Students will be able to apply to SUNY schools that already have established Masters International programs — University at Albany, SUNY Oswego and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry — or, at those that do not, work with the department from which they plan to receive a Master’s degree to create a Masters International program.

Peace Corps Volunteers must commit to 27 months of service — three months of training followed by two years spent working abroad.

According to Villela, students in the PCMI program usually spend a semester or more at their university of choice either preceding or following their Peace Corps service.

Villela said she believes that SUNY students’ participation in the Masters International programs will better the entire SUNY community.

“It will be beneficial to the campus environment,” Villela said. “If a student comes up against difficulties in their Peace Corps assignment work, they might write to their department and ask for help, giving the faculty and students real research questions to work with.”

SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher stated in a press release that the partnership will help to expand SUNY’s global outreach.

“With this expanded access to the Masters International Program, our students will have a greater impact on communities across the globe and return home with invaluable experience to add to their educational portfolio,” Zimpher said.

Villela said that she sees a particular type of SUNY student taking advantage of the degree opportunity.

“This is all about community engagement service — service to your community, your country and to your world,” Villela said. “This is a wonderful way of making the global personal, of bringing the real world issues of communities throughout the world home to New York State, engaging our students and faculty in solving world problems.”

Villela said that PCMI programs could begin at SUNY schools this fall, but that whether they do depends on the students and departments that participate.