Ashley Elizabeth Blackwell, 22, of Mill Spring, has been accepted into the Peace Corps.

Blackwell will be departing for Guyana on Feb. 15 to begin pre-service training as a Community Health Education Peace Corps volunteer. Upon graduation from volunteer training in May, Blackwell will be working closely with local and international partners to implement various health initiatives, focusing on family health, immunizations, and HIV/AIDS.

Blackwell is the daughter of Johnny and Amy Tallent, and a graduate of Polk County High School. She attended the University of North Carolina Wilmington in Wilmington, N.C., where she earned a bachelor of arts in psychology, graduating in 2010. Blackwell previously worked in the Dominican Republic providing affordable medical care for local citizens during a mission trip.

“I’ve always had a passion for helping others. After the mission trip to the Dominican Republic, I just knew that I had to find an organization to work for that did similar work. That’s when I heard about the Peace Corps,” Blackwell said.

During the first three months of her service, Blackwell will live with a host family in Guyana to become fully immersed in the country’s language and culture. After acquiring the language and cultural skills necessary to assist her community, Blackwell will serve for two years in Guyana, living in a manner similar to people in her host country.

Blackwell joins the 247 North Carolina residents currently serving in the Peace Corps. More than 3,788 North Carolina residents have served in the Peace Corps since 1961.