Interview with Mike Merola, February 2, 2024

Interview Summary

Mike Merola served as an Education Peace Corps Volunteer in the Dominican Republic from 1993-1995. Originally from New Jersey, he applied to the Peace Corps after getting his degree in international affairs at Lafayette College and joining the Peace Corps Master’s Program at Rutgers University. Staging for the program was in Miami, and training was at Entrena just outside Santo Domingo. His site was a small village outside of Nagua on the Northeast of the island, named Telanza. Mike oversaw the construction of a school during his time there, raising funds and materials with the community. Upon returning to the US, he took a job with New Jersey Senator Robert Toricelli’s campaign and continued working with the Senator on the Hill afterwards. He now owns a lobbying firm that focuses on health care and education in Washington DC where he lives with his wife and five children.

Interview Keyword

Mike Merola Dominican Republic 1993-1995 New Jersey Lafayette College, Pennsylvania, Foreign Service, International experience 3rd generational Italian blue collar given back to the country International relations Master’s program at Rutgers Masters in Public Administration Inner-city schools Spanish, education volunteer pig farmer South Beach, Miami, FL Entrena Pantoja Host family Tigre Los Alcarrizos School construction project Nagua Telanza Carmela de Leon Confianza Dengue fever Haiti Gringo Grita Voice of America Radio Pig farming Senator Torricelli Lobbyist Health Care.

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