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Many college graduates struggle to find their first job and their place in the world, but for Sunny Utterback, her place is with the Peace Corps.
The 23-year-old graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno in May and this week she boarded a plane for Africa. Her destination is the West African nation of Gambia, the smallest country on the continent, where she will serve a two-year assignment with the Peace Corps.
Utterback, who graduated Churchill County High School in 2004, earned a sociology and psychology degree and wanted to put her education to use right away.
“I had traditional jobs in the past and while I was in college, but I wanted to live abroad while trying to help,” Utterback said Sunday from her parents' Fallon home. “It's easy to say you want to try to help people, but if no one goes, then nothing gets done.”
Her father, Gary, said Utterback's calling toward public service manifested itself while she was in junior high and continued throughout high school.
“She did a lot of volunteer projects associated with work and school, and we saw this continuously through (high) school. It drove her to a degree in sociology — the ability to work in helping an organization,” Gary said. “It's kind of an inherent thing in her.”
Utterback thought about joining the Peace Corps for six months before she applied in June last year. She was assigned to Gambia but won't know what city or village she'll serve in until she completes three months of language and cultural training in the country. She will be a community development and health education volunteer.
Utterback, who volunteered at a Reno hospital for nine months, has already begun learning the native language Mandinka and is excited to study the country's religion and culture. Ninety percent of Gambia's residents are Muslim.
“I think it'd be very interesting to be in a culture that's Muslim. I'm interested to see their point of view. Over here, we have a lot of stereotypes,” she said. “I want to merge into their culture and enjoy it as much as I can. I've heard the Gambians are extremely friendly, which is great. I like to think of myself as a very friendly person too.”
She said her goal is to see if there are immediate issues her host community might need — like water sanitation, education or fitness programs — and attempt to find ways to make those programs sustainable so they continue after she leaves.
Utterback flew to Philadelphia Monday to join with about two dozen other Peace Corps volunteers. The entire group left the U.S. on Tuesday, and she anticipated starting her training in small groups once in Gambia. She said there are about 60 Peace Corps volunteers in Gambia, and she was unsure if she would be serving with a small group of volunteers or living on her own among the Gambians.
She said her friends and family have been very supportive with her decision to join the Peace Corps.
“My friends are pretty excited. A lot of them are saying I'm brave and that I'm doing something they'd all like to do,” Utterback said.
Brenda, Utterback's mother, said she was surprised when her youngest daughter told her she wanted to join the Peace Corps.
“I just remember the shock of hearing her say it — not the idea of the Peace Corps, but the idea that she's going to be so far away,” Brenda said, adding that she's going to pretend her daughter is just returning to Reno for school. “That's the only way I can do it. The thought of two years … I can't think that far.”
Utterback held a yard sale recently to sell her furniture and sold her car in preparation for her departure. She said the Peace Corps maintains a conservative dress code for volunteers and places limitations on what family members can mail. Since she'll be living in a village with no electricity, Utterback will correspond with her family through mailed letters and packages. Once a month, volunteers will be taken to Gambia's capital city of Banjul to do banking and check their e-mail.
Gary said his daughter is looking forward to serving at what he said is one of the most difficult duty posts with the Peace Corps, but he has confidence in her.
“We think this is great. We're very proud of her,” he said Sunday before the family headed out for one last dinner together. “She's always wanted to be involved in public service and has always been very outgoing. This is a tangible expression of that public service.”
Looking to the future, Utterback hopes to travel around Africa following her Peace Corps commitment, and she plans to attend graduate school. But for now, her life's adventures will start with this first step.
“I'm excited, I'm nervous — it's a mix of all those things,” Utterback said.
The 23-year-old graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno in May and this week she boarded a plane for Africa. Her destination is the West African nation of Gambia, the smallest country on the continent, where she will serve a two-year assignment with the Peace Corps.
Utterback, who graduated Churchill County High School in 2004, earned a sociology and psychology degree and wanted to put her education to use right away.
“I had traditional jobs in the past and while I was in college, but I wanted to live abroad while trying to help,” Utterback said Sunday from her parents' Fallon home. “It's easy to say you want to try to help people, but if no one goes, then nothing gets done.”
Her father, Gary, said Utterback's calling toward public service manifested itself while she was in junior high and continued throughout high school.
“She did a lot of volunteer projects associated with work and school, and we saw this continuously through (high) school. It drove her to a degree in sociology — the ability to work in helping an organization,” Gary said. “It's kind of an inherent thing in her.”
Utterback thought about joining the Peace Corps for six months before she applied in June last year. She was assigned to Gambia but won't know what city or village she'll serve in until she completes three months of language and cultural training in the country. She will be a community development and health education volunteer.
Utterback, who volunteered at a Reno hospital for nine months, has already begun learning the native language Mandinka and is excited to study the country's religion and culture. Ninety percent of Gambia's residents are Muslim.
“I think it'd be very interesting to be in a culture that's Muslim. I'm interested to see their point of view. Over here, we have a lot of stereotypes,” she said. “I want to merge into their culture and enjoy it as much as I can. I've heard the Gambians are extremely friendly, which is great. I like to think of myself as a very friendly person too.”
She said her goal is to see if there are immediate issues her host community might need — like water sanitation, education or fitness programs — and attempt to find ways to make those programs sustainable so they continue after she leaves.
Utterback flew to Philadelphia Monday to join with about two dozen other Peace Corps volunteers. The entire group left the U.S. on Tuesday, and she anticipated starting her training in small groups once in Gambia. She said there are about 60 Peace Corps volunteers in Gambia, and she was unsure if she would be serving with a small group of volunteers or living on her own among the Gambians.
She said her friends and family have been very supportive with her decision to join the Peace Corps.
“My friends are pretty excited. A lot of them are saying I'm brave and that I'm doing something they'd all like to do,” Utterback said.
Brenda, Utterback's mother, said she was surprised when her youngest daughter told her she wanted to join the Peace Corps.
“I just remember the shock of hearing her say it — not the idea of the Peace Corps, but the idea that she's going to be so far away,” Brenda said, adding that she's going to pretend her daughter is just returning to Reno for school. “That's the only way I can do it. The thought of two years … I can't think that far.”
Utterback held a yard sale recently to sell her furniture and sold her car in preparation for her departure. She said the Peace Corps maintains a conservative dress code for volunteers and places limitations on what family members can mail. Since she'll be living in a village with no electricity, Utterback will correspond with her family through mailed letters and packages. Once a month, volunteers will be taken to Gambia's capital city of Banjul to do banking and check their e-mail.
Gary said his daughter is looking forward to serving at what he said is one of the most difficult duty posts with the Peace Corps, but he has confidence in her.
“We think this is great. We're very proud of her,” he said Sunday before the family headed out for one last dinner together. “She's always wanted to be involved in public service and has always been very outgoing. This is a tangible expression of that public service.”
Looking to the future, Utterback hopes to travel around Africa following her Peace Corps commitment, and she plans to attend graduate school. But for now, her life's adventures will start with this first step.
“I'm excited, I'm nervous — it's a mix of all those things,” Utterback said.
