The Peace Corps Human Touch: Alicia Denning

Aside from a desire to serve, there are a number of reasons why someone would want to dedicate a precious two years to the Peace Corps. For Auburn University alumna Alicia Denning, it was a desire to give back, plus the excitement of the unknown. In her time at Auburn, Denning participated in Engineers without Borders, to which she credits her love of travel and cross-cultural connections. “I needed a new adventure and always wanted to learn a new language.” Denning graduated from Auburn with a degree in chemical engineering in 2011 and spent time working with Schlumberger as a field engineer in petroleum. Armed with her degree and experience, she departed for Querétaro, Mexico.

The United States Peace Corps, founded in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy, sends around 1600 men and women each year to serve in the developing world. For some, Peace Corps brings to mind a ton of images and expectations of what a service abroad may look like- images of huts and dirt roads and endless horizons. “I expected to be in a mainly poor, rural area but was placed in a city with a population of over a million and worked in a Mexican government research center,” Denning said. “My expectations were not even close to reality.” The truth is, service is different for every volunteer in each unique village or city where he or she serves. While some volunteers brag about their classic Peace Corps experience, others may be surprised to know that their host “village” is actually bigger than the loveliest village.

Having a background in engineering plus three months of cross-cultural and language training provided by the Peace Corps, Denning was ready to create and implement a Project Management Office at the Center for Engineering and Industrial Development. She also worked to help refine sustainable energy allocation for her department. In addition to her technical duties, Denning worked with young professionals to secure assistantships to continue their graduate studies here in the United States.

Despite access to modern accommodations and a huge population, Denning’s service was by no means easy. Language barriers and feelings of isolation were still obstacles to overcome. “People look at you like you’re just another tourist”, Denning says. One of the hardest aspects of being a Peace Corps volunteer abroad- or really any person abroad for an extended period of time- is really pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone and opening yourself up to new experiences and cultures. For Denning, taking the initiative to build her own community was the key to her successful service.

Successful community integration takes time; for Denning, it was over a year into her service before she found herself with a strong group of local friends. Because her host-site was so large and there were so many other volunteers in the area, Denning often deflected her free-time to being with them. However, after most of them left (having finished service), she had to find her own way. She joined a Cross-fit style gym and there developed bonds between her peers and instructors. “In a city of a million, I had to reach out and find/create my own community […] after that it was incredible.”

The payoff for such persistence and perseverance is a completely altered perspective of how we see the world and, more importantly, ourselves. “You will never be the same,” Denning says. “You will learn things you never expected and realize that you are capable of more than you can imagine.” Aside from personal development, there are a number of benefits to joining Peace Corps. In today’s world, you have to be diplomatic and global, especially when it comes to business. Lots of US companies go abroad, and they expect their staff to manage multi-national relationships. Learning these skills takes time and full-immersion. Denning proves that Auburn graduates are well-equipped to take on the challenge.

Congratulations on your service, Ms. Denning, and War Eagle!

Alicia in Mexico

Last Updated: August 15, 2016