The Peace Corps Fellows & AmeriCorps Program welcomed its newest cohort of AmeriCorps members on September 3, 2025 with a gathering and orientation in the Community Room at City Hall. They were joined by their supervisors, representing local community organizations hosting them for the 2025-2026 academic year. The group was welcomed by Macomb Mayor, Mike Inman, and Dr.
Chris Merrett, Dean for Innovation and Economic Development and Director of the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs (IIRA), at Western Illinois University (WIU). The day’s event was led by K. Mauldin-Curtis (KMC), Fellows Program Director.
This year’s AmeriCorps members serving the Macomb community include: Po Wilkey and Taylor Clarke, with the Offices of Community Development and Downtown Development with the City of Macomb; Lashawn Gordon, with Western Illinois Regional Council; Cambrie Rhodes, with McDonough County Health Dept., and Whitney Fowler, with the Giving Gardens. Audra Elam, is serving the City of Nokomis, IL.
The Fellows Program in Community Development at WIU is a graduate fellowship program for returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCV) and AmeriCorps (AC) Alumni.
The program is managed through the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs (IIRA) and offers RPCVs and AC Alumni an opportunity to pursue graduate studies at WIU, with an emphasis on rural community and economic development.
As part of their degree program, Fellows enroll in AmeriCorps and serve community- based graduate internships assisting organizations with the implementation of local development projects, such as: downtown revitalization, business retention and expansion, youth leadership, health education, volunteer management, and disaster preparedness.
AmeriCorps is the federal agency for national service and volunteerism. It provides opportunities for Americans to serve their communities. Learn more at AmeriCorps.gov.
To learn more about the Fellows Program in Community Development, visit wiu.edu/pcf or contact KMC at k-mauldin- [email protected].
