Interview with Padraic Kennedy

Kennedy, Padraic M. ; McKiernan, Stephen

Padraic Kennedy is one of the original twelve staff members of the Peace Corps and former director of VISTA. He also was the first president of the Columbia Association (1972–1998). Kennedy has a Bachelor's degree from Columbia University and a Master's degree in American Political History from the University of Wisconsin.

Padraic Kennedy was on the original staff of the Peace Corps and went from being Sargent Shriver's Associate Director to heading VISTA, the Peace Corps' domestic equivalent.  He took the first volunteers to Ghana in 1961, when the original Peace Corps volunteers numbered 900 while serving in 16 countries. By 1966 the Peace Corps was at its peak with 15,554 volunteers in 52 countries. When Kennedy left the Peace Corps he took with him, in all subsequent work, the spirit of President Kennedy's Inaugural speech centered on the words that inspired a generation which were "Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You Ask What You Can Do For Your Country." This included a brief stay as Vice President of Boise Cascade where he did economic development work. His next and final move came in 1972 when he became the first and longest running President of Columbia Association in Columbia, Maryland, a non-profit organization that owns and manages community assets.  President Kennedy once mentioned Padraic Kennedy in one of his speeches after he took office; a reference to the type of young people he hoped would carry on the Peace Corps mission.  Kennedy received his undergraduate degree from Columbia University and Master's Degree from the University of Wisconsin after serving in World War II.

2008-07-25

In copyright

2018-03-29

McKiernan Interviews

110:42

2008-07-25

Stephen McKiernan

Padraic M. Kennedy

Padraic Kennedy was on the original staff of the Peace Corps and went from being Sargent Shriver's Associate Director to heading VISTA, the Peace Corps' domestic equivalent.  He took the first volunteers to Ghana in 1961, when the original Peace Corps volunteers numbered 900 while serving in 16 countries. By 1966 the Peace Corps was at its peak with 15,554 volunteers in 52 countries. When Kennedy left the Peace Corps he took with him, in all subsequent work, the spirit of President Kennedy's Inaugural speech centered on the words that inspired a generation which were "Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You Ask What You Can Do For Your Country." This included a brief stay as Vice President of Boise Cascade where he did economic development work. His next and final move came in 1972 when he became the first and longest running President of Columbia Association in Columbia, Maryland, a non-profit organization that owns and manages community assets.  President Kennedy once mentioned Padraic Kennedy in one of his speeches after he took office; a reference to the type of young people he hoped would carry on the Peace Corps mission.  Kennedy received his undergraduate degree from Columbia University and Master's Degree from the University of Wisconsin after serving in World War II.

110:42

English

Binghamton University Libraries

audio/mp4

2 Microcassettes

Sound

Audio

Peace Corps (U.S.); Kennedy, Padraic M.--Interviews

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