Wisconsin first lady Jessica Doyle talks about her experience in the Peace Corps Tuesday afternoon.

Wisconsin first lady Jessica Doyle encouraged University of Wisconsin students to engage in volunteer activities during and after their time in Madison Tuesday, when she came to campus to share her experiences as a Peace Corps volunteer.

Doyle, who served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tunisia with husband Gov. Jim Doyle after their graduation from UW in June of 1967, talked about her experiences as an English teacher in two remote areas of the country. She said her experiences learning languages and experiencing another environment changed her life.

“You go into the Peace Corps thinking you’re going to help somebody and then those very same people end up helping you,” Jessica Doyle said. “It’s not important what you do, but just that you do something.”

Jessica Doyle also said she supports UW’s Year of the Humanities lecture series, saying the attention given to scientific fields such as engineering, technology and mathematics cannot make people forget about the importance of the humanities.

“When you think about it, the humanities and especially languages … lift our spirits, they kind of make us feel that we’re more connected to other people — that we’re not alone,” Jessica Doyle said.

The event, sponsored by the UW Language Institute, the UW African Studies Program and the UW Latin American, Caribbean and Iberian Studies Program, also featured UW Peace Corps recruiter and UW alumnus John Sheffy, who served as a volunteer in the African country Togo.

Sheffy said his experiences in the Peace Corps helped him gain a better understanding of the world and his field of study. He said he applied the lessons he learned as an agricultural adviser in Togo to a four-year project in Mexico.

“Yes it’s a scary thing, yes it’s a dangerous thing, but that’s what life is about,” Sheffy said.

Ben Zimmermann, a UW senior majoring in International Studies and Economics, said he attended the event because he is curious about the possibilities of being a Peace Corps volunteer after graduating.

He added he is concerned about the length of Peace Corps programs but is growing optimistic as he learns more about them.

“It’s definitely positive. I haven’t been to anything formal except for what I’ve read — or talked to people I know,” Zimmermann said. “But I really didn’t know what to expect and (now) there’s definitely a positive outlook. I’m more optimistic now.”

Wendy Johnson, outreach coordinator for the UW Language Institute, said Tuesday’s event showed the importance of language in the lives of all people who participate in the Peace Corps.

She cited the strength of UW’s language programs as one reason for the popularity of volunteering among UW alumni.

“UW-Madison has a strong tradition of service, of being interested in international events and issues,” Johnston said. “Language learning is naturally a part of that, so I think it all goes into that. If we look at UW’s participation in the Peace Corps as a puzzle, I think all those factors–world languages included — blend.”