PEACE CORPS IN THE 21 ST CENTURY: A RHETORICAL ANALYSIS

107In most instances, the 1960s idealism has been replaced by a 21 st century“reality.” These realities include changes in the lifecycle. Today, there are more collegegraduates than ever before, and those college-educated students are taking time offbetween college and the job market. Alan Finder, in a New York Times article wrote,“Directors of career offices at a dozen major colleges and universities said more studentsare taking it [a break after college] than ever before.” 183Leah Goodman headed off toservice in the Dominican Republic to do something different, something filled withadventure before settling into a career. She notes, “The big question I have been gettingsince I decided to apply to the Peace Corps is ‘Why?’ And I say, why not? Im young. Iwant to travel. Ill learn a new language and live in a culture completely unlike my own. Iam going to learn so much and grow through this unbelievable experience. Its my bigadventure, and I have always wanted to have one before I settle into a typical job androutine. Its an experience of a life time! Plus its different, and I like to do things on theroad less traveled.” 184Leah is representative of the volunteer fresh out of college with noreal desire to start a job right away. She uses the term “typical” to describe what her lifewould be like if she worked in the U.S.Not only are college students delaying work, today’s American populationchanges careers an average of five times throughout the course of a lifetime. These arenot merely job changes; they are career changes. People become disillusioned with theirwork and decide to make drastic changes, leading to Peace Corps service. This seems tobe the most consistent reason that middle-aged people volunteer. The late 20s, to mid30s volunteer, who make up the majority of volunteers, fall into this category. Shellajoined for just these reasons; she states, “Eventually my focus, or was it my lack of, led