Interview with Michele Berke, September 9, 2021

Interview Summary

Michele Berke served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines, from 1987-1989, in the Deaf Education Program. The idea of joining the Peace Corps came from seeing the first Deaf volunteers training at Gallaudet University in the early 70s. After graduating from college with a degree in political science, she applied to serve in the Peace Corps. Due to a medical issue she was not accepted and told to wait two years and apply again. She applied and was staged in San Francisco, California. During pre-service training she was placed with a host family who had a deaf child. In her training as a Deaf Education volunteer, she learned Philippine sign-language along with the local spoken language and cultural sensitivity training. She was placed on the island of Bohol, the 10th largest island and served with several other volunteers. After seeing that there were qualified educators in the classroom, she requested a reassignment where she worked with a social worker assessing children for basic needs. Along with several other volunteers, they developed a group project. They coordinated a cleft lip/palate clinic where over 30 residents received surgery for cleft palate deformities. After service, Michele continues her work with deaf education and went on to receive her PhD. Michele remains connected to the Peace Corps community.

Interview Keyword

Peace Corps (U.S.) Philippines (Country of Service) 1987-1989 (Dates of Service) Peace Corps Volunteer Job: Deaf Education Philippine sign-Language (Language)

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