Mercy College Alumna to Begin Peace Corps Service in Thailand

Mercy College alumna Lisa Elam ’17, of Peekskill, New York, has been accepted into the Peace Corps and will depart for Thailand this week to begin training as a Youth in Development Volunteer. The achievement was announced by the Peace Corps in December.

During the first three months of her service, Elam will live with a host family in Thailand to become fully immersed in the country’s language and culture. After acquiring the necessary skills to assist the community she will serve, Elam will be sworn into service and assigned to a community in Thailand, where she will live and work for two years with the local people.

“The idea to join the Peace Corps came to me while searching for volunteer opportunities after I graduated from Mercy,” said Elam. “I was very interested in Thai culture, particularly its reverence for family and community, which I believe will play a part when it comes to the work I will be doing. This is not only an opportunity to do something meaningful and selfless; it’s an opportunity to push myself and find out the extent of my capabilities.”

Elam will work in cooperation with the local people and partner organizations on sustainable, community-based development projects that improve the lives of people in Thailand and help Elam develop leadership, technical and cross-cultural skills that will give her a competitive edge when she returns home.