Young Alumnae in the Peace Corps

Young alumnae Dana Ripperton ’05, Maggie Murray ’06, and Kristin Palbicke ’06 are now in the Peace Corps volunteering to better several foreign communities in need.

Dana Ripperton ’05

Ripperton moved to Ukraine through the Peace Corps over one year ago. She volunteers as a secondary English teacher to children from grades two through eleven. She is also in the process of building an English Resource Center through a grant she received from the Peace Corps.

“I live in the eastern most oblast,” said Ripperton, “which is sort of like a county or state, and [I] speak Russian.”

In eight months, Ripperton will return home to the United States.

At Sweet Briar, Ripperton studied anthropology and hopes to continue her education in graduate school for archeology.

Maggie Murray ’06

Murray is currently volunteering as a sustainable agriculture systems agent through the Peace Corps. She is serving in the hottest and most deforested part of Panama and working on several projects.

“I am working with farmers and the Panamanian Department of Agriculture (MIDA) to help change the method of production for rice to a more sustainable and organic form that doesn’t require slashing and burning,” said Murray. “I’m also beginning a project with the cattlemen and MIDA to improve pasture for better nutrition for the cattle year round.”

Murray has also been involved with a women’s group that empowers women economically and with a school teaching English to children in the first through the sixth grades.

Murray received a B.A. in sociology from Sweet Briar.

“I’m really proud to be one of the SBC alumnae representing the Peace Corps organization,” Murray said.

Kristin Palbicke ’06

For nearly three months, Palbicke has been living with a host family in Thailand while she completes her volunteer training program. During the two years that she will serve in the Peace Corps, she will be living a life similar to the people of her host country and helping with small business development and education.

Kristin graduated from Sweet Briar with a B.A. in English and creative writing.