By By ERIN VER BERKMOES / Niles Daily Star
NILES - A Niles resident is taking her love of volunteering and making a difference in others lives as she begins her journey as a member of the United States Peace Corps
Tifanni Dash is a 22-year old recent graduate of Saint Mary's College with a degree in psychology and political science. On Sept. 30, she will begin her two year stint in the Peace Corps
The Peace Corps was started in the early 1960s, when John F. Kennedy, who was then a senator, challenged students at the University of Michigan to serve their country by living and working in developing countries in the cause of peace.
The Peace Corps then grew as an agency of the federal government and has since been devoted to bringing world peace and friendship.
Dash will begin her journey with a trip to Chicago where she will receive three days of training along with other volunteers and then the group will travel to Kiev in the Ukraine where they will receive three months of additional training and will also learn the Ukrainian and Russian languages. Once her group of 30 volunteers has completed their training they will be officially inducted into the corps by the U.S. Ambassador to the Ukraine. Dashs assignment with the Peace Corps is to teach Ukrainian children English as a second language.
Dash said what she will miss most about Niles while she is overseas is the small town atmosphere Niles offers its residents.