Peace Corps news release
DENVER - Every year, thousands of college graduates travel across the globe as Peace Corps volunteers, to assist those they have never met. In what has become an annual tradition, Director Gaddi H. Vasquez and the rest of the Peace Corps staff recognize those alumni who take on this challenge and serve in the Peace Corps by publishing the "Top Producing Colleges and Universities" list for 2006.
This year, the University of Colorado at Boulder is ranked No. 3 among all U.S. colleges and universities for producing the highest number of Peace Corps volunteers. In 2005, 82 CU-Boulder graduates were making a difference in the lives of individuals and communities throughout the world as Peace Corps volunteers. During the Peace Corps' 45-year history, 1,998 CU-Boulder alumni have served in the Peace Corps - just two volunteers short of breaking 2,000, an accomplishment only five other universities have ever achieved.
For the 20th year in a row, the University of Wisconsin at Madison takes the top spot with 104 volunteers serving in the field. Among medium-sized schools, the University of Virginia again claimed the No. 1 spot with 80 volunteers. And for the first time, Dartmouth College takes the top spot for small schools with 37 alumni currently serving as volunteers.
"The willingness of so many people to use their degrees and life experiences to share with other cultures is a commitment no one should overlook," said Director Vasquez. "There is no single path to success. But those who leave a legacy in a rural village in Madagascar or a city in Ukraine know the impact that Peace Corps can have not only in that community but also on the remainder of their own careers."
Adding a new category this year, Peace Corps tabulated rankings for volunteers with advanced degrees. Ranking No. 1 on the graduate schools list is the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor with 22 volunteers. CU-Boulder ranks No. 9 on the graduate schools list with 12 volunteers.
Among the all-time top producing schools, the University of California at Berkeley continues to be No. 1 - the only school to have produced more than 3,000 volunteers since the Peace Corps' inception in 1961. CU-Boulder is ranked No. 6 on the all time schools list.
Other Colorado colleges and universities appearing on the various lists include Colorado State University which ranks No. 13 among large schools and Colorado College and the University of Denver which rank No. 11 and No. 19 respectively among small schools. The University of Denver also made its debut on the graduate schools list at No. 4.
To view the entire 2006 "Top Producing Colleges and Universities" list, please visit the Peace Corps Web site at
Although it is not a requirement for service, the majority of volunteers who have served in the Peace Corps over the past 44 years have been college graduates. Currently, 96 percent of volunteers have at least an undergraduate degree, with 13 percent of those also possessing a graduate level degree.
Since 1961, more than 182,000 volunteers have served in the Peace Corps, working in such diverse fields as education, health, HIV/AIDS education and prevention, information technology, business development, the environment, and agriculture. Peace Corps volunteers must be U.S. citizens and at least 18 years of age. Peace Corps service is a 27-month commitment.
For information about ongoing Peace Corps activities on the CU-Boulder campus and throughout the Boulder community, please visit or contact Paula Pant at (303) 492-8454 or at peacecor@colorado.edu.