Alexandria Payton '22 is among the first Peace Corps volunteers to return to overseas service since the agency’s unprecedented global evacuation in March 2020. The Peace Corps suspended global operations and evacuated nearly 7,000 volunteers from more than 60 countries at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I look forward to experiencing what life has to offer outside the United States. Additionally, I am looking forward to actualizing my passion for service and health advocacy abroad,” said Payton. “I hope to build lifelong connections with my volunteer cohort, host family, and Peace Corps staff and advance my skills and knowledge in public health and Spanish.”
Payton is a graduate of the University of North Carolina Wilmington with a bachelor’s degree in public health. She will serve as a volunteer in Peru in the health sector.
The volunteer cohorts are made up of both first-time volunteers and volunteers who were evacuated in early 2020. Upon finishing a three-month training, volunteers will collaborate with their host communities on locally prioritized projects in one of Peace Corps’ six sectors – agriculture, community economic development, education, environment, health or youth in development – and all will engage in COVID-19 response and recovery work.
Currently, the agency is recruiting volunteers to serve in 59 countries around the world at the request of host country governments, to connect through the Peace Corps’ grassroots approach across communities and cultures. Volunteers have already returned to a total of 57 countries around the world. The Peace Corps continues to monitor COVID-19 trends in all of its host countries and will send volunteers to serve as conditions permit. Americans interested in transformative service and lifelong connections should apply to Peace Corps service at www.peacecorps.gov/apply.
Leah Mayo 10’ has been named assistant dean for community engagement and health equity after serving as interim assistant dean during the 2022-23 academic year. Mayo previously served as Center for Healthy Communities coordinator in the College of Health and Human Services and co-director of the North Carolina Public Health Training Center.
“I’m very excited for this opportunity. Community engagement has done a lot of valuable work for the college and I’m proud of everything that we’ve done. As we adapt and change to meet the needs of the college and the community, I welcome any feedback or ideas about this role or unit in order to continue to support the mission of the college,” Mayo said.
Looking to the future of her new role, Mayo says “Growth may be uncomfortable, but growth is necessary.” She has a number of goals she plans to tackle. Mayo explains, “One of my goals is to educate faculty, staff, students, and community partners about the services the community engagement team can offer. Then we can establish a closed loop process that will provide a positive experience for our faculty, staff, and students, whether that means resolving a problem effectively, acknowledging praise or suggestions, or answering an individual’s questions,” she said. “A closed loop process can offer the opportunity to demonstrate in a direct and personal way that feedback is important and that you care about the outcome.”
Mayo also stressed the importance of sustaining and increasing visibility of signature programs and events within community engagement, including the Center for Workforce Development, Center for Healthy Communities, Health Equity Bonner Fellowship, and MentorCHHS.
Dr. Jack Watson, dean of the College of Health and Human Services, says of Mayo’s appointment, “We are thrilled to have Leah Mayo as our new assistant dean for community engagement and health equity. Community engagement is an essential part of CHHS and Leah has developed and maintained strong relationships in the community. She has very successfully demonstrated the skills and mindset necessary to advance our college-wide initiatives into the community. Further, her research and programming initiatives are strongly geared towards promoting health equity in our community. Her plans for the future are very exciting and match well with the needs of our college. I look forward to seeing the impact of her leadership on this office and the College of Health and Human Services.”