Carleton Ranks Second in Peace Corps Volunteers for 2014
Carleton College moved up to the No. 2 position on Peace Corps’ annual list of the top volunteer-producing small colleges and universities across the country. With 17 alumni currently serving overseas as Peace Corps volunteers, the school made its fourth consecutive appearance on the list. Carleton ranked second behind Gonzaga University (Wash.) and its 20 alumni among schools and universities of 5,000 or less undergraduate students. Since the agency was created in 1961, 496 Carleton graduates have made a difference as Peace Corps volunteers.
CHICAGO – Carleton College moved up to the No. 2 position on Peace Corps’ annual list of the top volunteer-producing small colleges and universities across the country.
With 17 alumni currently serving overseas as Peace Corps volunteers, the school made its fourth consecutive appearance on the list. Carleton ranked second behind Gonzaga University (Wash.) and its 20 alumni among schools and universities of 5,000 or less undergraduate students. You can view the entire top 25 rankings for each school size category here.
Since the agency was created in 1961, 496 Carleton graduates have made a difference as Peace Corps volunteers.
“The Peace Corps provides an indispensable opportunity for young people out of college to put their unique skills to work making a difference for communities around the world,” Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet said. “Volunteers make lasting change by living and working at the grassroots level in their communities of service and using their talents to tackle some of the most critical challenges in international development.”
Carleton alum Paul Dimick ’12 of Northfield, Minn., makes a difference as health volunteer in Guatemala. Since arriving in July 2014, Dimick has worked with his community to implement education programs and train health staff.
“Carleton does an exceptional job of opening students’ eyes to the wider world, instigating curiosity, teaching leadership skills, and inspiring a spirit of service,” Dimick said. “After graduating from Carleton, I knew that I wanted to work in a job that would help others, and Peace Corps was a natural and perfect fit.”
Three other Minnesota colleges earned recognition. For large schools, the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities ranks fifth with 63 volunteers. In the small-school category, Macalester College comes in at No. 5 with 15 volunteers and the College of Saint Benedict ranks No. 20 with 9 volunteers.
Service in the Peace Corps is a life-defining, hands-on leadership experience that offers volunteers the opportunity to travel to the farthest corners of the world and work on sustainable development projects in agriculture, community economic development, education, environment, health, and youth development.
Volunteers return home as global citizens with cross-cultural, leadership, language, teaching, and community development skills that position them well for advanced education and professional opportunities in a 21st-century job market.
This year’s rankings follow historic reforms to Peace Corps’ application and selection process, led by Hessler-Radelet, that resulted in a 22-year application high for the agency in 2014. Through a one-hour online application, applicants can now choose the countries and programs they’d like to be considered for. Graduating college students are encouraged to browse open programs and apply by April 1 for assignments departing fall 2015.
Twin Cities-based Peace Corps recruiter Janice McInerney, a returned volunteer who served in Ukraine, advises Carleton candidates and can be reached at jmcinerney@peacecorps.gov.
Approximately 202 Minnesota residents are currently serving in the Peace Corps, with the Twin Cities among the top metro areas nationwide in producing volunteers. Overall, 6,495 Minnesota residents have served since the agency was created in 1961.
About the Peace Corps: The Peace Corps sends the best and brightest Americans abroad on behalf of the United States to tackle the most pressing needs of people around the world. Volunteers work at the grassroots level to develop sustainable solutions that address challenges in education, health, economic development, agriculture, environment and youth development. Through their service, volunteers gain a unique cultural understanding and a life-long commitment to service that positions them to succeed in today’s global economy. Since President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, nearly 220,000 Americans of all ages have served in 140 countries worldwide. For more information, visit www.peacecorps.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.