News Article

Gonzaga University has moved up nine spots to No. 4 on the Peace Corps’ list of the top 25 small schools with the most volunteers. In 2005, a total of 26 Gonzaga alumni served the Peace Corps. Since its inception in 1961, 223 GU alumni have served in the Peace Corps.

Every year, thousands of college graduates volunteer for the Peace Corps and travel across the globe to help people who they had never met. Each year, the Peace Corps recognizes those alumni who take on this challenge and serve the Peace Corps worldwide. In 2004, GU had moved up five spots to No. 13 on the list.

For the 20th year in a row, the University of Wisconsin at Madison takes the top spot with 104 volunteers serving in the field, making it the No. 1 producer of Peace Corps volunteers. However, the University of Washington is not far behind with 102 alumni stationed worldwide as Peace Corps volunteers. 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.

Adding a new category this year, the Peace Corps also has 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.

“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 Gaddi H. 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.”

Schools are ranked according to the size of their student body. To view the entire 2006 “Top Producing Colleges and Universities” list, please visit the Peace Corps Web site at www.peacecorps.gov/news/resources/stats/pdf/schools2006.pdf. Last year's rankings, for comparison purposes, can be found at www.peacecorps.gov/news/resources/stats/pdf/schools2005.pdf.

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.

For more information, contact the Peace Corps Press Office at (202) 692-2230.