UO generates Peace Corps involvement
Alumni involved in the Peace
Corps place the University
among the top 2 5 schools
producing volunteers
Aimee Rudin
Family/Health/Education Reporter
The University did it again.
The University was ranked among
the top 25 volunteer-producing
schools in an annual report pub
lished by the Peace Corps.
The report separates colleges and
universities across the nation into
three categories: large schools with
an undergraduate population of
more than 15,000 students, medi
um-sized schools with populations
between 5,001 and 15,000 students
and small schools with populations
fewer than 5,000 students.
The University, part of the large
school category, was ranked 14th
last year with 57 alumni involved
with the Corps. The University of
Wisconsin led the category with 123
alumni involved.
Robert Richardson, the Universi
ty’s personal Peace Corps contact,
said awareness makes University
students prime candidates for posi
tions in the Peace Corps.
“This campus and the student
body here has a very out-looking
perspective,” he said. “Students are
very aware of the big picture and the
activities occurring in the world out
side of campus.”
Based out of the University Career
Center, Richardson is responsible for
spreading information about the or
ganization and leading recruiting ac
tivities on campus. Richardson has
been in Eugene for barely a year, but
he said he has been continually im
pressed by the level of campus and
community involvement.
Marc Schlossberg, assistant pro
fessor of planning, public policy and
management at the University, said
the program is a perfect opportunity
for students. Schlossberg, who was a
Peace Corps volunteer from 1995 to
1997, said the Corps is a great way
for students to do three things: see
the world, test knowledge and ideals
learned in school and learn about
themselves.
“When you’re away from home,
out on your own in an entirely differ
ent country, it really gives you the
opportunity and the chance to learn
about yourself,” Schlossberg said. “I
think it’s a wonderful and unique op
portunity. Any student who is inter
ested should look into the program.”
The Peace Corps was founded as a
government organization in 1961 to
Film festival
continued from page 1
cinema is,” June said.
She said the festival often reflects
the interests of the coordinators. Last
year5s coordinator was an internation
al studies major. Consequently, the
2002 festival highlighted films from
around the world. June’s plan was to
acquire works from the United States
that local filmgoers wouldn’t normally
get an opportunity to see. In fact,
many of the feature films shown this
year were produced in the Northwest
—a fact June said was not intentional.
In addition to films, the weekend
will include panel discussions, along
with the Queer Photo Show, which
is currently on display in the EMU
Aperture Gallery. A reception for the
photography exhibit will take place
Friday in 180 PLC, following the sec
ond screening of “The Business of
Fancy dancing.”
June said that the festival is likely
to appeal to a wide variety of tastes.
“We’re expecting a a diverse
crowd,” she said. “I think the general
public and younger crowds will find
more to enjoy this year.”
For instance, the film “Group,”
slated for 6 p.m. on Saturday, is a fea
ture-length mockumentary follow
ing 21 weeks of group therapy ses
sions among eight women. The cast
of characters includes a punk rock
amputee, a born-again Christian, a
sex rocker, a binger, a hypochondri
ac, a bigot, a “tramp,” an enigmatic
woman and their therapist. The film,
introduced by directors and produc
ers Marilyn Freeman and Anne de
Marcken, features music by cutting
edge rockers such as Sleater-Kinney.
“The Business of Fancydancing,”
the directorial debut of poet, play
wright and author Sherman Alexie,
tells the story of a reunion between two
Spokane Reservation friends 16 years
after their high school graduation.
June said this movie is likely to
defy expectations often associated
with the festival. Though the film
features a number of gay characters,
it is one of the few entries not creat
ed by an LGBT filmmaker.
“Most of the films in the festival
are produced to advance queer cine
ma,” June said. “With this film, the
emphasis is primarily on the charac
ters as opposed to the identity of
those who produced it.”
In addition to the feature-length
films, the event will also include a
short films program showcasing doc
umentaries, narrative films and ani
mated shorts.
Short Film Jury member Yann
Doignon said choosing this year’s en
tries was time-consuming, yet re
warding. The seven-member jury
whittled nearly 60 entries down to the
13 shorts that are featured this year.
The jury already awarded its own
prizes to a number of films in the
shorts program, but audience mem
bers will have an opportunity to vote
for their own favorites on Sunday at
4:30 p.m. A selection featured in this
portion of the festival includes one
of Doignon’s proclaimed personal fa
vorites — “Hot and Bothered: femi
nist pornography.”
The film, described by Doignon as
“amazingly controversial,” address
es the complex issue of female sexu
ality surrounding pornographic films
aimed specifically at women.
Students involved in the event say
this year’s festival will provide an im
portant community service. Univer
sity Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans
gender, Queer Alliance Go-Director
Austin Shaw-Phillips credits the an
nual festival with opening many eyes
to the queer experience.
“Prior festivals have done a lot of
justice to address the many facets of
queer life,” Shaw-Phillips said. “Any
one interested in being educated
about the issues we face should defi
nitely check it out.”
However, Shaw-Phillips said en
joyment of the event doesn’t have to
focus entirely on education.
“Quite simply, it’s just an inexpen
sive way to see some stellar enter
tainment,” Shaw-Phillips said.
Contact the senior Pulse reporter
atryanbornheimer@dailyemerald.com.
'Advertise in Oregon t)ailij Emerald Classifieds! Call 346-4343!
“promote world peace and friend
ship.” Corps members who serve in
the program for two years are paid.
Approximately 7,000 corps mem
bers serve in 70 countries around
the world.
Northwest public affairs specialist
Jim Aguirre said he believes people
in the Northwest particularly identi
fy with the mission of the Peace
Corps.
“The Northwest, in general, is
Peace Corps country,” he said. “We
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have a tremendous response out
here. People who live out here tend
to be interested in community in
volvement and activism, things the
Peace Corps was founded upon.”
Peace Corps recruiters will hold
an information session and slide
show about volunteer experiences in
Africa today at 6 p.m. in 112
Esslinger.
Contact the reporter
at aimeerudin@dailyemerald.com.
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