Jack Reid ’01

Jack Reid ’01 | Peace Corps Volunteer 

Gonzaga University  
Marquette University Law School

Attending Mayfield was a key part of the foundation for my career as an attorney and currently as a Peace Corps Volunteer in The Gambia (a super small country in Western Africa). Whether it be in school or professional settings, my time at Mayfield helped me prepare for the challenges and triumphs that I would face. The motto “Actions not Words” always stuck with me, and in deciding to join the Peace Corps, I feel that I was pushed to live up to that ideal. It’s been an amazing experience working to improve environmental sustainability and improving agroforestry systems (watermelons are a big deal here). I’ve gained amazing new experiences and met new people throughout my service, and I look forward to bringing all these things back with me when I return to the States.

I am currently living in a village with a host family. I have a host mom and dad, six host brothers, and one host sister. It is one of the highlights of my service for sure. I decided to join the Peace Corps because it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. My good friend from college served in the Peace Corps Cameroon, and when talking about his service, I was drawn to the idea of living abroad, gaining a new perspective on the world, and helping where I was needed most. The Peace Corps has three goals - to help countries by training people in skills, promoting a better understanding of Americans, and promoting a better understanding of the people whom I am serving. Following my ten years of practicing law, these goals, along with the opportunity to challenge myself in a completely new way, led me to join the Peace Corps and start a new path for myself. 

I am an Agriculture/Environmental Volunteer. My main work consists of helping my village and local communities develop sustainable practices regarding agroforestry, gardening, and environmental concerns, including climate change. I work alongside members of the community, local organizations, and schools to help promote different techniques and ideas regarding agriculture, from tree planting to community garden development and gardening techniques. From my experience, when you are in your village, the world can seem quite small, as you are isolated from most everything else. In a broader sense, after traveling around the country and interacting with the people here I see the world as such a bigger place than I had before joining the Peace Corps.

This experience has taught me a lot about the importance of community and how people work together to solve issues and support each other under harsh conditions. I have gained perspective on how people support themselves outside of the normal ways we have in the United States. Living with a host family and spending time with them, from local celebrations to daily meals, has been a wonderful experience. The kindness and support they have given to me during my service will be something that I will remember forever.

Following my service, I would like to continue to work in a role where I can aid organizations that strive to help throughout the world. I plan to move to Washington, DC, to be closer to family and hopefully find a job where I can continue the work that I have learned here. I also took the Foreign Service Exam during my service, so continuing my career in an official position at an embassy is also something that I would be interested in doing.