USCBe Informed: News & Happenings

A University of South Carolina Beaufort student is preparing to embark on a life-changing journey of service and cultural exchange as one of the university’s first participants in the Peace Corps.

Traliya Mitchell, a 22-year-old Psychology and Interdisciplinary Studies major from Columbia, will depart July 10 for Botswana, where she will serve for two and a half years. Mitchell, a first-generation college student, said her path to USCB—and now to the Peace Corps— has been formed by her openness to new challenges.

“I didn’t know anything about college. I didn’t tour here before. I just showed up on the first day for orientation,” she said.

Encouraged by her art teacher at Eau Claire High School, Mitchell chose USCB for its strong scholarship support and campus environment. 

Her start was not without challenges. Mitchell nearly missed the opportunity to enroll after discovering she needed to arrange a payment plan before arriving. With support from another teacher and a church community that helped cover initial costs, she was able to begin her college journey—one that she says transformed her.

“Before I got here, I was a shy person. The day I got here, that all just went away,” she said. “Everybody I met was so kind. I’ve never felt out of place.”

At USCB, Mitchell has been involved across campus, serving as an Orientation Leader and Ambassador, working in the Student Success Center, and participating in organizations including the Environmental Club and the Gender and Sexuality Alliance. She also led the Cheer, Dance, and Spirit Club and helped create a new Interdisciplinary Studies course focused on gardening. She credits faculty mentors Chelsea Ponce, Libby Ricardo, Leah Nixon, and Dr. Sandra Knapp for helping guide her path.

"From the time I met Traliya, at the start of her academic journey at USCB, I knew she was not only an exceptional student, but also one who would undoubtedly affect great change in the world," Ricardo said.  "I am so incredibly proud of her."

Mitchell was led to the Peace Corps by USCB's Career Services Director Teagan O’Connor, who helped her explore opportunities to volunteer in other parts of the world.

“I’m a big empath,” Mitchell said. “I’ve always wanted to help people.”

An independent U.S. government agency, the Peace Corps sends American volunteers to work alongside community members in foreign countries Established in 1961, its mission is to promote world peace and friendship by providing technical assistance in sectors including education, health, and agriculture, while fostering cross-cultural understanding.

Joining the Peace Corps is a comprehensive process that typically takes about nine months from an initial application to departure. It is similar to a professional job application but includes rigorous medical and legal background checks.

Mitchell applied to Peace Corps positions in Botswana and Costa Rica, ultimately choosing Botswana because "I've always wanted to go to Africa," she said.
 
 In Botswana, Mitchell will contribute to public health efforts, particularly related to HIV/AIDS.

“I don’t have many details about whether I’ll live in a city or rural area and what exactly I'll do in my job there, but I’m excited,” she said. "I'm not nervous. I don’t like to be held back by fear. Fear puts you in a box, and I don’t want to live my life like that.”

Mitchell is also eager to immerse herself in a new culture. She will spend her first 11 weeks living with a host family while learning Setswana, the national language, and adjusting to life in Botswana, where English is also widely spoken.

Her long-term goal is to pursue nonprofit management and establish a network of shelters for unhoused individuals, including women, children, and those with mental health challenges. She believes her Peace Corps experience will provide invaluable insight.

“I want to experience different ways of life and understand people better,” she said. “And I think it will be fun—I’m a big foodie, and I want to try everything.”

Before departing for Africa, Mitchell will further expand her global perspective through a USCB study abroad experience to South Korea, led by Dr. Juanita “Babet” Villena-Alvarez, from May 11 to June 8.

Mitchell, who has maintained a 3.8 GPA while living on campus all four years, says her family was initially unfamiliar with the Peace Corps but ultimately supportive.

“They were like, ‘What is the Peace Corps? Where is Botswana? If something happens to you, we can't come get you!’” she said with a laugh. “But acutally they're very suportive."

As she prepares for departure, Mitchell reflects on how far she has come—and how far she hopes to go.

 “USCB has helped me grow into who I am. Many people here have mentored me with real world advice and I appreciate that," she said. "I love to learn, and now I’m ready to take that out into the world.”