News

Nearly 150 Peace Corps volunteers who served in Turkey in the ’60s and early ’70s and who, for the most part, trained at PSU, gathered on campus in June to reminisce and hear about Turkey today during a three-day conference.

From 1963 to 1973 Portland State was the primary location in the United States for training Peace Corps volunteers to the Republic of Turkey. At PSU they studied the language as well as the culture and political and social history. They also had training in their areas of specialty, such as public health and education.

The returnees were mostly from other parts of the county and could have held their meeting anywhere, but they decided that, besides Turkey, the one thing they had in common was Portland State and the good memories of training here.

A highlight of the meeting was an address by Burak Akcapar, first counselor of the Turkish Embassy in Washington, D.C. Akcapar made a special trip to Portland for the event.