Bettie Anderson has been thinking about joining the Peace Corps for 53 years.
The 73-year-old will now get the opportunity she first imagined when she was a Hampton Institute student as she prepares to spend 27 months of service in Botswana, a country in southern Africa.
Anderson was a student at the school, now Hampton University, when the volunteer group was founded in 1961.
Two years later, Anderson was a recruiter for the federal program, passing out fliers and recruiting fellow students to join. She graduated in 1964 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology, but put the notion of international volunteerism on hold.
“I started looking at it, and I said, ‘Wow, this sounds exciting,’ ” Anderson said. “And then I said, ‘Nah, let me go and become a multi-millionaire and become rich and famous.’ But the idea was a really great one, and so it wasn’t until last year, 2015, that I said, ‘Now is the time.’ “
That time came after Anderson moved back to Virginia in 2010 to take care of her ailing parents. Her father passed away in 2011 and her mother in 2015, and then she decided to apply.
The Paterson, N.J., native will be one of three HU alumni currently volunteering with the Peace Corps. Seventy-six HU graduates have served since the program’s start, according to the university.
“For generations Hampton University has produced stellar leaders in all walks of life,” said Brint Martin, director of alumni affairs. “We honor alumna Bettie Anderson for her years of continued service as she embarks on this incredible adventure. Her work in Botswana will continue the legacy of Hampton alumni serving the global community.”
Anderson will join 81 others in her cohort to Botswana, where 175 volunteers currently serve. Right now, about 7 percent of all Peace Corps volunteers are older than 50, according to Emily Webb, public affairs specialist for Peace Corps.
“Older Peace Corps Volunteers are considered to be rare gems in the way they defy expectations of age to offer a worldly perspective through their service overseas,” Webb wrote in an email. “As they embark on the next chapter of their lives, they possess a wealth of life and professional experience that becomes a vital asset in connecting with their host communities and fellow volunteers. While they are certainly unique … older volunteers have established a very significant presence in communities around the globe.”
Anderson said she was treated no differently than any other applicant, although the Chesapeake resident noted she’s worked to build up muscle for any physical tasks she might encounter.
Precise details about her assignment won’t be available to Anderson until she arrives in Botswana. She’ll spend three months living with a host family, getting to know the culture, people and language, Setswana.
“I’m just as curious as everyone else to see if at 73 I can learn a new language, but I have confidence — and a lot of prayer — that it’s going to be possible,” Anderson said.
After the acclimation period, the next two years will be spent working as a volunteer for a community health agency.
“Essentially, I’ll be assisting to develop strategic plans for information dissemination as well as care for those individuals that have HIV/AIDS or are dependents of those who have HIV/AIDS,” Anderson said. “So that’s what I’m told. But we always know that what your job description says and when you arrive they don’t always necessarily mesh, but I’m ready. I’m ready for whatever is before me.”
Anderson’s son and grandchildren had mixed reactions when she told them of her plan, but she said support has ramped up as her departure date of July 30 draws near.
“I’m getting a lot of support,” Anderson said. “Initially I didn’t, because people were like, ‘We’re old, we need to sit back retired,’ and now they’re like ‘Go, go, go!'”
Hammond can be reached by phone at 757-247-4951.
