Sarah Singletary, '09

February 12, 2015
After stints in Niger and Cameroon, Sarah Singletary, '09, returns to the U.S. to work at Peace Corps headquarters

Joining the Peace Corps was an easy choice for Sarah Singletary, ’09. After stints in Niger and Cameroon, she returned home and became a country desk officer at headquarters in Washington, D.C.

What do you wish you had known before your volunteer stint?

I spent a disproportionate amount of time worrying about bugs and mosquitos and scorpions — things that in retrospect seem pretty silly. I wish I’d known how hard it would be to grasp the challenges faced by communities.

What does a country desk officer do?

I work mostly with a few countries in southern Africa. I liaise between overseas staff and HQ, get answers to their questions, and ensure access to resources. I advocate for their programs and represent the Corps.

What did you do right after you returned from your service?

I was a couch potato. I needed to relax, get my bearings, catch up on TV, eat Cheetos, and wear my pajamas. Some people go right to grad school or work. I’d have found that overwhelming.

How did you end up at HQ?

I did something that drives against my personality: network aggressively. I met friends of friends and someone who worked at Peace Corps who introduced me to someone else. An internship and lucky timing got me in the door. I’ve been here ever since.

Where is the Peace Corps heading?

We’ve spent a lot of energy refocusing projects, making sure we’re focusing on areas where volunteers can have the most impact. We’re also bolstering monitoring and evaluation to better demonstrate what we already know anecdotally is happening in the field.

What are some of the challenges facing the Corps?

Volunteers today are in constant contact with family and friends back home. It can be difficult emotionally to be so connected as you build a new life. But it’s also a great opportunity to bring the world home and for volunteers to share experiences with loved ones as they happen.

This piece was originally published in the University of Richmond Magazine, Winter 2015.