Interview with John Donelson, May 11, 2021

Interview Summary

John Donelson served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ghana, from 1965 through 1967 in the Education Program. Donelson applied to Peace Corps during his junior year in college. Training began that summer at Dartmouth College and continued the following summer at Morehouse College in Atlanta. Donelson was part of group Ghana three, assigned to Dormaa Ahenkro to teach chemistry, physics, and math at a high school. He also coached track and helped improve the school garden. He enjoyed visiting the homes of students in surrounding villages. Donelson married a Peace Corps Volunteer serving in Cameroon, who was then reassigned to his village in Ghana. After Peace Corps, John earned a PhD in Bio-Chemistry at Cornell. He thought little about Peace Corps for many years until a colleague suggested he study the biochemistry of parasites that cause tropical diseases. That suggestion rekindled his relationship with Africa, where he went on to work with a research institute in Kenya and travel many times to Africa. The interview discusses Donelson's training, service, travels, and post-Peace Corps work.

Interview Keyword

Ghana (Country of service) 1965-1967 (Date of service) Peace Corps Volunteer Job: Education Dormaa Ahenkro (Ghana)

Interview LC Subject

Peace Corps (U.S.)--Ghana Ghana Teaching Education Dartmouth College Morehouse College (Atlanta, Ga.) Volunteers Schools Travel Villages Rural Twi language Peace Corps (U.S.)--1960-1970 Peace Corps (U.S.) Teachers Dorma Municipal District (Ghana)

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