Clarendon Hills Native Departs for Peace Corps Ghana

Submitted by Peace Corps Midwest Region.

Theodore Vernon, 24, of Clarendon Hills, was accepted into the Peace Corps and departed for Ghana on Oct. 2 to begin training as an agriculture advisor volunteer.

Vernon will live and work at the community level to promote improved agricultural production practices. He will also support agricultural organizations to promote better business practices and increase income and food security.

“Since a young age, I have always wanted to pursue some type of public service and give back,” said Vernon. “My eighth-grade teacher’s Peace Corps stories motivated me to join the Peace Corps. I found the perfect outlet and opportunity to fulfill my desire to serve. I made it a goal of mine to join the Peace Corps after I graduated college.”

A 2010 graduate of Hinsdale Central High School and the son of Julia Vernon of Hinsdale, Vernon is ready to gain perspective by immersing himself in a new culture and walk of life. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science from Dension University of Granville, Ohio, in 2014.

“Dension University gave me a quality liberal arts education,” Vernon said. “It allowed me to think critically and gave me the necessary knowledge to make a difference and follow my dreams.”

After graduation, Vernon gained professional experience working as an extern at the U.S. District Courts of Northern Illinois and as a sustainable agriculture apprentice.

During the first three months of service, Vernon will live with a host family in Ghana to learn the local language and integrate into the culture. After acquiring the language and cultural skills that will help make a lasting difference, he will be sworn into service and assigned to a community in Ghana where he will serve for two years.

Vernon will work in cooperation with the local people and partner organizations on sustainable, community-based development projects that improve the lives of people in Ghana and will help him develop leadership, technical and cross-cultural skills that will give him a competitive edge when he returns home. Peace Corps volunteers return from service as global citizens well-positioned for professional opportunities in today’s global job market.

“My goals while in service are to help those I come into contact with,” said Vernon. “In the long run, I would like to gain a greater perspective of the world, valuable interpersonal and leadership skills and a newfound commitment for public service.”

Vernon joins the 284 Illinois residents currently serving in the Peace Corps. More than 8,460 Illinois residents have served as volunteers since the agency was created in 1961.

“I want to make a meaningful difference to those in West Africa,” Vernon said. “I’m excited to become a part of a new community and immerse myself in a new culture.”