Peace Corps Fellows

The Paul D. Coverdell Peace Corps Fellows Program is a graduate fellowship program that offers financial assistance to returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) who wish to earn a graduate degree in an approved partner institution. The Masters of Public Administration (MPA) Program at Bowling Green State University is committed to providing RPCVs with a wide range of benefits, including financial aid and a career-related internship.

The mission of the MPA Program is to educate students and prepare them to assume leadership roles in public service.  The program aims to provide the public and nonprofit sectors with talented and rigorously-trained graduates equipped to address problems and challenges now and in the years ahead.  It strives to promote intellectual development, scholarship, leadership, ethics and training in basic and applied research relevant to the public and nonprofit sectors at various levels. The program trains students in the theory, methods, and practice of public administration through a combination of coursework, research, and experiential learning via public service and client-based projects. The program serves its students, BGSU, the state of Ohio, the US, and the international community by promoting innovative and effective solutions in the public and nonprofit sectors.

An internship with an underserved population in the United States is an integral part of the MPA program and is required for Fellows.

For more, see the BGSU Graduate College Coverdell page and the Paul D. Coverdell Fellows of BGSU site more information about the program and current and former fellows.

Visit the Peace Corps’ Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program page for more information about the program and its origins.

Coverdell Fellows are eligible for full tuition remission and a 10 hour week assistantship.

There is no separate application for the Coverdell program.  Once admitted to the MPA program, volunteers must submit their Description of Service (DOS) to certify successful completion of Peace Corps Service.

In addition to an Online Graduate Application and Online Department Application, students must submit all undergraduate and graduate transcripts, current GRE scores, a statement of purpose, a writing sample, a CV, and three letters of recommendation.  The entire application and all materials can be submitted electronically or, if necessary, by mail or fax.  For more detailed information visit the Application Process page.

Applications are due by March 1. A faculty committee reviews all portfolios, and applicants are notified in late March.