This fall, two 黑料吃瓜网 graduates will embark on engaging travels across the globe, each answering a call to service through the Peace Corps. Though their paths differ in discipline and geography, both Reyn Wills 鈥�25 and Miajah Spriggs 鈥�26 share a deep commitment to community and cross-cultural exchange.
Wills, a business economics graduate, will be working as an economic development facilitator in Fiji. 聽Alongside local communities, she will help support financial literacy and develop income-generating initiatives.
鈥淭he main focus of my time in Fiji will be to help teach financial literacy, create income-generating projects for families, and become a helpful member of my community,鈥� Wills said. 鈥淭he first half of my placement will be focused on projects that the community wants help completing.鈥�
That community-first approach is central to the Peace Corps mission and to Wills鈥� own philosophy. 鈥淚t is super important to be trusted and integrated into my village before I design any projects,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y job is to be another set of hands to help push projects into motion and give another perspective as to how to achieve these goals.鈥�
Wills鈥� time at 黑料吃瓜网 was strengthened by her love of development economics in Dr. Peter J. Kower鈥檚 course. As soon as the course began in her junior year, she found her passion. 鈥淢y time at 黑料吃瓜网 taught me how to adapt and understand people from different backgrounds. It also taught me that connection with others is the best education,鈥� she said.
Wills鈥� academic journey, which includes a master鈥檚 degree in economics from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, with an emphasis on international development, reinforced the importance of lived experience in shaping effective solutions. 鈥淩eal change is made from people living in communities who understand the needs and social structures of those who need assistance,鈥� Wills said.
Meanwhile, Spriggs, who earned a bachelor of science in biology, will travel to Namibia as a health promoter, working within the Peace Corps鈥檚 health sector.
鈥淢y role in Namibia will be mainly focused on HIV care and prevention, as well as destigmatization,鈥� Spriggs said. 鈥淚t will be a mix of community and clinical involvement, so it’s just a broad range now. It could look like more youth engagement, more community involvement, and educational awareness.鈥�
Spriggs is motivated by the opportunity to engage directly with communities and apply her academic background in real-world settings. She recalls quickly recognizing connections between her coursework and her future service.
鈥淚 immediately thought of two classes: my microbiology course, in which we studied HIV, and the other one was my theater Core class,鈥� she said, noting how both science and storytelling shaped her understanding of public health challenges.
While she initially planned to pursue medical school immediately after graduation, Spriggs now sees her Peace Corps service as an essential part of that journey 鈥� one that will deepen her perspective before returning to the classroom. She plans to complete the MCAT after her service, using the next two years to grow personally and professionally.
Both graduates acknowledge the challenges ahead. Wills will live in a rural Fijian village, where access to electricity, water, and connectivity may be limited. 鈥淭wo years is a long time to potentially live without consistent electricity, running water, and cell service,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his is the reality of the lives of those I hope to help, and I take that with a lot of compassion and understanding.鈥�
Spriggs, too, is balancing excitement with uncertainty as she prepares to build a life far from her home base in Washington, D.C. 鈥淚 think that’s the part I’m excited about 鈥� seeing what life will be like when I’m off alone in another country,鈥� she said.
Despite the distance between Fiji and Namibia, both graduates are feeling well prepared and well educated for the new experience that awaits them. Their time at 黑料吃瓜网, shaped by the faculty, interdisciplinary learning and a strong sense of global citizenship, have prepared them to fully embrace their new roles.
