COSAM alumna Cara Tupps joins Peace Corps

Cara Tupps, a May 2013 graduate with a bachelor of science in microbiology, joined the Peace Corps and will teach biology to middle and/or high school students in the Republic of Mozambique in Africa. In preparation for her two-year commitment to the Peace Corps, Tupps will donate her long hair for the fourth time to Locks of Love, a nonprofit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis.

“I probably won’t have many opportunities for a haircut once I am in Africa, and donating to Locks of Love is just something I like to do,” Tupps said.

She will also spend the summer with family at her home in Conyers, Ga., before reporting for duty in September. Once in Mozambique, Tupps will go through an extensive, three-month training process with the Peace Corps where she will learn about the culture, history, politics, and economic structure of the country. She will also be expected to learn the local language, Portuguese, and participate in a workshop about the education system and strategies for teaching in the classroom. Once training is complete, Tupps will be assigned a village in Mozambique where she will teach for two years. In addition to teaching, she hopes to pursue secondary projects, like hosting AIDS awareness classes in the community. To keep up with her progress in the Peace Corps, follow her blog at www.carainafrica.blogspot.com.

- Photo courtesy of Cara Tupps.