Laura McIver Boggess, 25, of Carrboro, N.C. has been accepted into the Peace Corps.
Boggess departed for Guatemala on Jan. 9 to begin pre-service training as an environmental education Peace Corps Volunteer.
After graduation in April, Boggess will work with rural schools to integrate conservation and environmental awareness into the curriculum.
She attended the UNC, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in biology, graduating in 2006.
Boggess previously worked for a conservation non-governmental organization in Borneo, N.C.
“I had a lot of support from friends, some who had been Volunteers themselves. My father was a Peace Corps Volunteer in India,†said Boggess. “Hearing all of their experiences has always been inspiring to me.â€
During the first three months of her service, Boggess will live with a host family in Guatemala to become fully immersed in the country’s language and culture. After acquiring the language and cultural skills necessary to assist her community, Boggess will serve for two years in Guatemala, living in a manner similar to people in her host country.