Peace Corps sends Santiago-Rivera to Peru

Glorisette Santiago-Rivera ’17 says she’s on the adventure of a lifetime as she begins her two-year commitment with the Peace Corps in Peru.

She’ll be working as part of the WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) Program, educating those who live in rural communities about the value of clean water and facilitating the improvement of water treatment in those areas.

“The most challenging part about this new position will be living without basic luxuries that we are all used to, such as having Wi-Fi everywhere we go or simply having running water and electricity,” said Santiago-Rivera. “However, what powers me through, and what I am most excited about, is getting to know Peruvian culture and the new relationships that will be born out of these experiences.” 

Santiago-Rivera is from Puerto Rico and received a B.A. in biology when she graduated from Cornell College last spring. She looks forward to growing from this new experience as a person and a professional and says One Course At A Time prepared her for this role with the Peace Corps.

“Right now, I am completing a technical training for my job position that will last a total of 12 weeks,” she said. “Throughout these 12 weeks, we are expected to complete projects, study, etc. All I can think about is ‘Well, I have done this amount of work, or more, in a span of 18 days. Thanks, Cornell!’”

The Peace Corps recently ranked Cornell College at No. 22 in the Peace Corps’ small schools category for the agency’s 2018 Top Volunteer-Producing Colleges and Universities list. Since 1961, 155 Cornell alumni have traveled abroad to serve as volunteers.