Beyond Borders

Continue Reading Issue 43

Since its inception on March 1, 1961, in the weeks following John F. Kennedy’s inauguration, the Peace Corps has inspired 250,000 Americans to volunteer their time and skills across 144 countries. This legacy includes a dedicated group of Eastern alumni, faculty, and staff. We caught up with several of these volunteers to learn about their unique stories of service and adventure — journeys that deeply shaped their own lives while leaving a lasting impact on the global communities they served.

Catherine Hansen ’09

After graduating with a degree in business administration, Catherine Hansen ’09 served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco from 2013-15. The experience began with months of intensive language and cultural training before being assigned to the village of Tameslouht.

Beyond her primary role teaching English at a local youth center, Hansen took advantage of the Peace Corps’ emphasis on community-led service by organizing a women’s fitness class, supporting youth camps, leading environmental projects, and helping install the village’s first public trash cans.

“Working with the women in my village was particularly rewarding,” Hansen reflected. “Many had never had opportunities to participate in organized fitness activities, so I created a dance-focused aerobics class. What started as a small idea quickly grew into something special. The classes became packed, and the women embraced the opportunity not only to improve their health, but also to connect, laugh, and support one another. Watching their confidence grow was one of the highlights of my service.”

Hansen also appreciated the cultural exchange of the Peace Corps experience.

“I spent countless hours learning Darija, Morocco’s Arabic dialect, building relationships with my neighbors, and sharing pieces of my own American culture while learning from theirs. Looking back, some of the most meaningful lessons came not from the projects themselves, but from simply living alongside people whose values often challenged and expanded my own understanding of community.

“One of my greatest takeaways from Morocco was the incredible generosity of its people. Despite being a developing country, I rarely witnessed anyone going hungry because sharing was woven into everyday life. Every Friday, without fail, my neighbor would bring me a plate of couscous. This wasn’t considered extraordinary; it was simply what people did for one another. Meals were often shared from a single dish, with family and friends gathered together in a circle. There was a deep sense that the well-being of the community mattered as much as that of the individual.

Looking back, some of the most meaningful lessons came not from the projects themselves, but from simply living alongside people whose values often challenged and expanded my own understanding of community.

Catherine Hansen ’09

“My Peace Corps service changed me in ways I am still discovering today. It taught me humility, adaptability, patience, and the importance of genuine human connection. It showed me that while cultures may differ, people everywhere seek many of the same things: belonging, purpose, opportunity, and love. If given the chance, I would do it all over again.”

Hansen recalls her time on the Eastern campus with pride and appreciation.

“My time at Eastern played a foundational role in preparing me for my career and shaping how I approach both work and life. Beyond the classroom, student life taught me how to navigate independence, build relationships, and take initiative. … Eastern didn’t just prepare me academically; it helped me develop as a whole person. It gave me the confidence to step into unfamiliar environments, such as the Peace Corps and, later, my professional career, with a willingness to learn, adapt, and engage meaningfully with people from all walks of life. In many ways, Eastern was the bridge between who I was and who I was becoming.”

Stewart Brewster ’70

Using his Eastern education to good effect, Stewart Brewster ’70 built a highly successful 41-year career in the insurance industry before retiring in 2011. The Los Gatos, CA, resident wasn’t content to shoot golf, play bridge, or tend his flower garden. He was ready for a new adventure. Driven to lend a hand where needed, meet new people, and travel the world, Brewster served in the Peace Corps from 2011-13.

Located between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, Armenia is the size of Maryland with a population approaching three million people. Brewster’s assignment was in a small town in the mountains, only 14 miles from the border of Azerbaijan, which shares a violent past with Armenia. Brewster’s mission was to help stabilize the country so that Armenians could stay in their homeland. This was no small task — Armenia was a member of the Soviet Bloc; electoral democracy remains an uncomfortable fit, and there is wide distrust of the government.

Nonetheless, Brewster found the Armenian people to be proud, gregarious, and resourceful. Reporting on his experiences in 2012, Brewster wrote, “My Armenian neighbors are jacks-of-all-trades, skilled in making do. Little of value is discarded … value is stretched, whether it is twice soaking tea bags or again using soda bottles for raw milk delivery or bottling homemade wine.”

This enriching life chapter has expanded my horizons, invigorated my life, and renewed my spirit. Throw off caution, be courageous — dare to step off!

Stewart Brewster ’70

Brewster kept himself busy with a range of projects, from working with teenagers learning English to forming a community diabetes support group to helping plan a regional art festival.

“This enriching life chapter has expanded my horizons, invigorated my life, and renewed my spirit,” he said. “Throw off caution, be courageous — dare to step off!”

Brewster has fond memories of his time at Eastern — then called the Willimantic State Teachers College. “Dr. Clinton Ritchie, Professor David Roth, and Dr. Frances Willey were my favorites — all stimulating, smart, and dedicated. In early 1966, Dr. Ritchie (dean of men) asked me to take over running the Student Union staff and its activities, which I happily did until I graduated. My pool and ping-pong skills greatly improved as I ‘worked’ many hours there.”

Professionally speaking, Brewster recalls: “My economics training at Eastern clearly opened doors for me. I was lucky to have had many job offers. An insurance company recruiter interviewed me on campus and offered me a job in Boston before I graduated.” Over the following four decades of his career in insurance, Brewster happily worked for three companies across 11 locations.

Lily Egan ’15

Lily Egan’s ’15 motivation to join the Peace Corps began as an Eastern student, following eye-opening experiences with the Center for Community Engagement and as a member of the student organization People Helping People.

“I felt inspired to venture out of Connecticut after meeting people from around the world in Willimantic, where I was exposed to different languages, food, and lots of dancing!” she said. “I felt a sense of belonging and pride in using skills from class to work with community members and to help those in need, especially youth.”

After not being accepted into the Peace Corps fresh out of college, Egan gained more experience as an AmeriCorps volunteer in Bend, OR, and then as an English teacher in Spain. Her second Peace Corps application landed her an assignment in Cambodia in 2019, where she worked to be an English teacher and trainer. The experience was life changing.

“Peace Corps volunteers learn to adapt, appreciate the good and the challenging lessons of daily life, and work hard to assimilate. I would return in a heartbeat to hear the bustling of the tuk-tuks, the Khmer language caressing me like a warm hug, the vibrant rice paddies that stretch out to the horizon, the Yellow-bellied Prinia outside my window, and the snap of fresh garlic in my host mother’s wok.

I learned so much from my community — like how to wash my clothes by hand and navigate the busy streets — and I believe they learned from me too, whether it was a new card game or the English language.

Lily Egan ’15

“I made lifelong relationships with my host family, Cambodian counterparts, Peace Corps staff, and fellow volunteers. I felt comfortable being uncomfortable. I learned Khmer fluently and was accepted into the local culture. Nom banh chok quickly became my favorite noodle dish, I practiced the Cambodian dance called ‘Aspara,’ and I learned about Cambodia’s painful history by listening to survivors and visiting museums in the capital, Phnom Penh.

“I learned so much from my community — like how to wash my clothes by hand and navigate the busy streets — and I believe they learned from me too, whether it was a new card game or the English language.”

Egan, who now works as a communications officer at Fordham University’s Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs, credits Eastern for preparing her to seize opportunities as they arise.

“I took advantage of everything included in my tuition. I joined several clubs, used mental health and health services, attended midnight pancake dinners, and participated in career and networking events. Beyond attending every class, I traveled around the United States, joined Leadership Greater Hartford, found jobs, attended games, and, most importantly, made lifelong connections.”

Joe Garzone ’15

Joe Garzone ’15 graduated with a degree in history and social sciences with plans to become a high school teacher. That was before serving in the Peace Corps from 2017-19 in the Tigray region of Ethiopia.

“I thought the Peace Corps would be a good way to gain teaching experience since I was considering a career as a history teacher. I didn’t have a preference for where to serve. Ethiopia chose me, and I went without hesitation.

“My primary responsibility was teaching grade 11 English, although classroom teaching only took up a small portion of my day. Like many volunteers, I spent a lot of time working on other projects, helping teachers improve their English skills, supporting the school’s library and computer lab, and running after-school programs.”

Garzone’s favorite project was working on the school garden, which grew food for the teachers and helped raise money for the school.

“One of the goals of Peace Corps Ethiopia was to encourage the use of orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, which are drought-resistant and high in Vitamin A. We introduced them to the garden, and they became very popular. Years later, I still receive photos when they’re harvested. Out of everything I worked on during my service, that’s probably the project with the most visible legacy, and it’s nice knowing it’s still around given [the Peace Corps’] objective of sustainable human development.”

More than anything, I appreciated the emphasis on community. … People made time for one another. Relationships were often more important than schedules.

Joe Garzone ’15

Garzone also fondly remembers coffee ceremonies. “Coffee in Ethiopian villages isn’t something you grab on the way to work. Someone roasts the beans, grinds them, and brews the coffee in a clay pot. The same grounds are used three times, creating three rounds of coffee that get progressively weaker. The whole process takes about an hour and usually includes snacks and conversation. To this day, it’s the best coffee I’ve ever had.”

He added: “More than anything, I appreciated the emphasis on community. I remember seeing friends walking on the opposite side of the road and simply waving as I continued on my way. Later, they asked why I hadn’t crossed the street to stop and talk. To them, that was the natural thing to do. It wasn’t unusual to be heading somewhere and end up spending half an hour having coffee with someone you ran into along the way, thus leaving you late for a meeting. People made time for one another. Relationships were often more important than schedules.”

Garzone now works for the State Department and is currently stationed in Shanghai, China. “The experience ultimately influenced my decision to join the Foreign Service. Peace Corps taught me adaptability, cross-cultural communication, and how to be comfortable outside my comfort zone. These are lessons I still use every day. I stay in touch with friends from my host village, and despite the challenges the region has faced in recent years, I hope to return someday and see them again.”

Continue Reading Issue 43