My Summer with the National Peace Corps Association
By Hayden Johnson, NPCA Communications Intern
This summer, I had the incredible opportunity of being a Communications Intern with the
National Peace Corps Association (NPCA). Applying for internships in Washington, DC is an
arduous process, particularly given the uncertainty that blanketed the city this past summer, but I
was lucky enough to be accepted at my top choice.
I am a Public Affairs undergraduate student at The Ohio State University, which means that I
went into the summer with little to no experience in communications. However, it was not the
type of work that intrigued me, but the people I would be working with and the mission I would
be working for. My main goal for this summer was to develop my communications skills, meet
and connect with more Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs), and learn more about the
Peace Corps.
My father is an RPCV, so I have spent my entire life hearing stories from his time abroad and
developing my own love of cross-cultural understanding. Peace Corps has been on my radar for
over a year now, yet I was still unsure of what my future would hold. My time with NPCA not
only broadened my understanding of the importance and impact of the Peace Corps, but it has
also solidified my desire to serve when I graduate.
From my first day, I was welcomed onto NPCA’s team with open arms. I was doing work that
was out of my comfort zone, such as making social media graphics and writing articles for the
organization, but my supervisors always made sure I knew what I was doing and provided
guidance until I was confident and comfortable in my work. NPCA prides themselves on
listening to the feedback of everyone on the team, including their interns. It was so nice to
collaborate with a team that clearly wanted to hear what I had to say and even pushed me to
speak up when I was still being reserved. The tangible work that I am leaving my internship with
is something that I can always look back on to see the incredible growth that I made in just three
months.
This internship did not just give me new skills, but it also gave me a new family. Because NPCA
is just a small team of seven full-time staff, it was easy for me to get to know each member of the
team. Being on a team of all RPCVs also offered a unique experience for me because I was able
to see the joy that Peace Corps brought them and hear how it has shaped their lives to this day.
Having the experience to help facilitate Peace Corps Connect 2025 furthered my RPCV network
and let me hear the first-hand accounts of hundreds of Returned Volunteers.
I have been profoundly moved by how willing NPCA was to accept my fellow interns and I into
their world. I hope to keep the connections I made as I pursue my career, as well as apply the
interpersonal and communications skills that I learned in this role. I urge anyone thinking about
Peace Corps, public service, or nonprofit work to take the opportunity to intern with NPCA to learn a little more about who you are as a person and what you are capable of doing.