Dear Prospective Peace Corps Fellows:

We welcome your interest in the 2010-11 Peace Corps Fellows 10th Cohort at Western New Mexico University - Gallup Graduate Studies Center (GGSC). The GGSC is known for rigorous, cutting edge, culturally relevant graduate studies that purposefully blends practice and theories. Our programs embody the WNMU School of Education mission to ignite and nurture a spirit of learning. WNMU Teacher Education programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the premier U.S. teacher education accreditation body.

WNMU was established in 1893 when New Mexico was a territory. The Gallup Graduate Studies Center, part of the WNMU Extended University, was started in 1984 in response to requests from a local school district for a university to provide graduate and professional development for area educators. Historically, northwest New Mexico had been underserved by New Mexico institutions of higher education. The story of the development of the Gallup Center resonates with Peace Corps Volunteers who understand the demands of community development work and the importance of responding to locally voiced needs with culturally relevant programs that build on area strengths.

We are seeking applicants with a strong desire to work in a very rural, under-resourced yet culturally rich, challenging setting. The Gallup area offers many outdoor recreational activities and breathtaking natural beauty. We seek applicants who have carefully considered how the WNMU-GGSC PCF program and context match your unique interests, needs, and hopes. Applications for the 2010-2011 cohort are due March 22, 2010.

WNMU-GGSC offers two different tracks for applicants. In track one, there are three programs (Elementary, Secondary and Special Education) leading to a Masters of Arts in Teaching (MAT) for those who are not currently licensed teachers. Track two offers a range of interdisciplinary Master's degrees (MA) for licensed teachers.

The MAT Elementary, Secondary, and Special Education are intended for applicants with no pre-professional education background or credentials. You must however already have 24-30 university credits in a teaching content area, as determined by the New Mexico Public Education Department. In most instances, your teaching content area is based on your undergraduate major. Students enroll in a MAT program concurrent with our Alternative License program. However, the PCF Program is a Master's degree-bound program. Most graduate candidates take three years to complete the MAT and qualify for tuition reduction for those three years.

The MA Interdisciplinary Degree options are intended for those applicants who are already licensed teachers. In most instances, these applicants will have completed an undergraduate or post-baccalaureate program in teacher education. Applicants for either track with a math or science major will be given preference, but we routinely admit applicants with a wide range of majors.

Application to the WNMU PCF Program is a three-part process. To complete the first two parts, i.e. application to the Graduate Division and to the PCF Program, applicants complete the School of Education Teacher Education Peace Corps Fellows Program Admission packet. You can download most components of the packet from our web site http://gallup.wnmu.edu You can submit the completed forms and materials electronically (download documents, complete, and return as attachments via email to wnmupcf@hotmail.com, by fax (505 722-3195), or through the mail.

To meet the minimum Graduate Division admission requirements, you should hold a bachelors degree from a regionally accredited institution with at least a 3.0 GPA for your last 64 semester hours. Applicants with a GPA between 2.99-2.75 must complete the Graduate Record Exam with a minimum score of 720 combined on the verbal and quantitative sections and a 3 on the writing section. On a case-by-case basis, applicants who meet the requirements for provisional admission will be considered for the PCF program. In either case, preference is given to applicants with teaching responsibilities clearly stated on their Peace Corps Description of Service (DOS) or teaching experience of some type.

Applicants who are issued an invitation to join the 2010-11 PCF Cohort must complete the final or third part of the application process. This involves securing a teaching position with one of our partner school districts. We work most closely with Gallup McKinley County School (GMCS) District. The student population of GMCS is 79% Native American. You can access information about GMCS at their web site http://www.gmcs.k12.nm.us In late spring and early summer, vacancy postings for the next school ywnmu.edu/ExtUniv/exmain.htmear are updated regularly on the GMCS website. Complete the online New Mexico State Teacher application. Once you have completed it, email Bettie (bhundson@gmcs.k12.nm.us) to let her know that you have registered. You must have this application on file with the school district when you begin to search for teaching positions. Although you must take the lead to do the legwork to secure a position, we support you in the process and are available via email, phone, and in person for ongoing consultation through this phase. Once accepted to the PCF program, we strongly urge you to consider attending the GMCS Educators Fair held each June; although attendance is not mandatory to secure a position. If you are able to visit at any time, we arrange for you to meet with current Fellows. We can also connect you with current Fellows by email.

The Teacher Education Peace Corps Fellows Program Admission Packet for the 2010-11 Cohort is enclosed. These documents are also available on our WNMU-GGSC PCF web site http://gallup.wnmu.edu/pc/GGSCHome.html Complete packets are due by March 22, 2010. As you complete the application process, please feel free to email wnmupcf@hotmail.com or call us at 505 722-3389 with questions. Pat Maguire (Professor; Chair of the GGSC), Julie Horwitz (Director of MAT Field Experience) and Kelly Niedermeier (PCF Assistant) are all available to assist you.

Thank you for your interest in the WNMU-GGSC Peace Corps Fellows Program. We look forward to working with you as you embrace the third Peace Corps goal.

Sincerely,

Patricia Maguire, Ed.D.	Julie Horwitz, M.A.	Kelly Niedermeier
Professor	Assistant Professor	PCF Assistant
Chair, WNMU-GGSC	Director, MAT Field Experience
RPCV Jamaica 1977-79	RPCV Kiribati 1991-93	RPCV Guatemala, 2001-2003