Since 1982, the Forest Service has utilized this great fellowship program to recruit and ultimately hire new employees from a variety of fields including public policy, business management and economics, biology, forestry, natural resource management and law; 12 to 15 were hired per year since 2000 and are stationed across the country holding a variety of positions within the agency. By drawing graduate students from diverse social and cultural backgrounds, the PMF Program provides a continuing source of trained men and women to meet the future challenges of public service.

The PMF program was established by Executive Order in 1977 to attract to the Federal service outstanding men and women from a variety of academic disciplines and career paths who have a clear interest in, and commitment to, excellence in the leadership and management of public policies and programs.

Applicants can be graduate students from various academic disciplines, but must expect to complete a degree program during the current academic year in order to be eligible. In addition, applicants must demonstrate a breadth and quality of accomplishments, capacity for leadership and a commitment to excellence in the leadership and management of public policies and programs.

For more information about the Forest Service PMF program, including fellowship description, application details and deadlines, visit www.fs.fed.us/fsjobs/pmf/index.html.

The Master's International Program provides a tremendous opportunity for Americans to serve while gaining graduate-level credit," said Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter. "We are pleased to begin our partnership with Clemson University, a university with a proud tradition of volunteerism."

The program's intended audience is comprised of recent college graduates who have a strong desire to pursue an international career but would like additional academic training before going abroad and students who have graduated from college, have been in the workforce some time and now wish to obtain a master's degree and work overseas.

Students pursuing advanced degrees in agricultural education, agriculture and applied economics, and forestry resources are eligible to participate in this program and have access to many benefits, including the following:

• Peace Corps service provides two to twelve credit hours, depending upon the student's selected departmental academic program, and is also the basis for his/her research project paper.
• Peace Corps service fulfills the departmental internship requirement, and language training during service may be applied towards selected departmental credits, depending upon the selected academic program.
• Peace Corps service provides the US Government non-competitive eligibility for returning volunteers.
• The Peace Corps offers the international experience needed to obtain employment in a developing country.

"Our Master's International Program is a cornerstone graduate program that will enhance our connections, presence and reputation in the international arena," said William Molnar, Clemson's program director. "The Master's International program gives internationally minded students the academic and practical experience to meet the global challenges of today and tomorrow."

"Service to others has long been part of our culture at Clemson and we see this partnership with the Peace Corps as a doorway to opportunities for our students and for the people they serve," Clemson President James F. Barker said. "As this world grows smaller, it seems our role in it grows larger."

See Peace Corps Master's International Programs for more detail and how to apply.

Clemson University researchers and S.C. Forestry Commission personnel are collaborating with their colleagues in other states to try to solve this deadly problem.

"Currently, there is no cure or known control for the disease," said Steve Jeffers, Clemson plant pathologist. "Federal and state agencies are working together to monitor and slow the outbreak, while we look for ways to deal with it."

The report "An Ecological Disaster - Extinction of Red Bay Trees in the Southeast" says laurel wilt, the name recently given to this new disease, results in the death of nearly all red bay and sassafras trees in infected areas. The cause of the disease is a fungus vectored by an Asian ambrosia beetle. Both the beetle and fungus are recent introductions into the United States. There is no known method to halt the spread of this disease.

Red bays are common from Virginia to Florida. Seeds from this native tree provide food for turkeys, quail, deer, songbirds and bears. The plants also support three types of butterflies: palamedes, Schaus and spicebush swallowtail. The palamedes lays its eggs on the red bay leaves, and the emerging caterpillar eats the leaves.