Contact CU Independent News Staff Writer Nikita Mamochine at nikita.mamochine@colorado.edu
The University of Colorado has been ranked one of the highest universities among the Peace Corps’ 2016 list of top volunteer-producing schools.
Out of the top-five large universities to make the Peace Corps’ 2016 list, CU stands in the fifth position, with 53 undergraduate volunteers worldwide. The top three large universities to make the list were the University of Washington, the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the University of Florida.
The Peace Corps is a government organization where Americans can serve two years volunteering for international service. These volunteers contribute solutions to challenges such as sustainability, agriculture and poor education. As of now, Americans have conducted impactful service in 141 countries throughout the world.
Former President John F. Kennedy founded the Peace Corps in 1961 and over 220,000 Americans have served globally since the organization’s inception. Fifty-five years have passed since the Peace Corps was founded and the number of volunteers continues to grow. Out of all the Americans serving, 2,435 of those have been CU alumni.
“The Peace Corps is a unique opportunity for college graduates to put their education into practice and become agents of change in communities around the world,” said Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet.
CU has earned a spot in the Peace Corps’ top 10 large universities for five consecutive years now. The university also sits among the top five volunteer-producing universities of all time.
To find out more information, visit the Peace Corps website.
