The first lady of Colorado, Jeannie Ritter, addressed DU students about the Peace Corps at a wine-and-cheese event last Thursday evening at the Graduate School of International Studies as part of National Peace Corps Week.

The wife of Governor Bill Ritter spoke to a crowd of students and community members packed into the Cyber CafCB) about her experiences in Tunisia with the Peace Corps in the early 1980s.

“It’s part of our responsibility [as Peace Corps returnees] to continue talking about it,” said Ritter. “Keep talking about it. Keep sharing.”

Ritter described some of her experiences in Africa. One such story involved her roommate during the training portion of the program. The roommate was 68 at the time and about to embark on her second tour with the Peace Corps, much to the surprise of Ritter.

Looking back at her own experience, Ritter said, “I know I would go back in a moment.”

A question-and-answer period followed Ritter’s presentation. Then she mingled with those attending the event.

Organized by the University of Denver Peace Corps community, Ritter’s speech was aimed mostly at graduate students and Peace Corps returnees, said Molly Bogan, organizer of the event.

Throughout the weekend, the group, comprised of about 100 members, hosted other events for National Peace Corps Week, including a symposium panel and keynote dinner with guest Joseph Amon, the director of HIV programs at the Human Rights Watch based in New York.

“It’s kind of ‘get the word out’ week,” said Bogan. “It’s an outreach to communities to teach them things about another part of the world.”

Bogan, currently a student at the GSIS, worked for the Peace Corps in Paraguay from 2003-2005.

She is also a Peace Corps fellow and helps coordinate Peace Corps activities on campus.

For students interested in more information regarding the Peace Corps, Bogan suggests contacting DU student Leah Kaplan at Leah.Kaplan@du.edu.