Regis University Expands Master of Development Practice to Peace Corps Volunteers

Using Innovative Global Classroom Technology, Returned Peace Corps Volunteers in Any Location Can Participate in MDP Curriculum

DENVER – Regis University and IEEE Smart Village, a non-profit organization of volunteer engineers working to bring solar power to remote regions around the world, today announced a partnership between the university’s Master of Development Practice (MDP) and the Peace Corps Coverdell Fellows Program.

Through a 12-course curriculum, the Regis MDP equips future leaders with the knowledge and skills necessary to meet development challenges – like eliminating energy poverty in off-grid communities – through integrated approaches that cultivate life-long learning and service in development vocations. This new partnership will allow Returned Peace Corps Volunteers worldwide to access the rigorous applied MDP program wherever they are located, at home or abroad.

“Peace Corps and IEEE Smart Village Volunteers are already making an extraordinary difference in peoples’ lives around the world, and connecting them to the Regis University MDP resources will equip them to be even more effective as they pursue sustainable development projects,” said Nina Miller, Program Director of the Master of Development Practice at Regis University. “The MDP aims to tackle global problems, and the people working to solve them – including Peace Corps Volunteers – are located around the globe. We’re excited to make this innovative program accessible to even more people who are doing this critical work.”

“Education is a key component of successful development projects,” said Robin Podmore, co-Founder of IEEE Smart Village. “Through partnerships with pioneering educators like Regis University, we’re fostering connectivity that enables virtual learning for mentors and energy entrepreneurs around the world. We’re thrilled that members of the Peace Corps will be able to utilize these resources to carry out their inspiring missions.”

Through its partners, IEEE Smart Village and the Blue Jeans Network, Regis University is able to provide virtual-visual-audio connectivity, online course materials and forums that allow for remote participation anywhere on the globe. Each student then has the ability to immediately apply what they have learned to their respective development contexts. IEEE Smart Village’s vision is to extend this remote learning model from kindergarten through adulthood to provide critical educational and vocational training opportunities to outlying villages, thereby eliminating the need for rural community members to travel long distances to urban centers to gain life-changing skills.

The current MDP cohort includes students from nineteen countries representing twenty disciplines. When joined with this dynamic group, Returned Peace Corps Volunteers will receive discounted tuition for up to six credits, as well as Field Immersion or Practicum deferment their prior service. For more information, including a timeline for enrollment in the MDP, click here. To begin the application process, contact Admissions at ruadmissions@regis.edu.

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