The George Washington University ranks third on Peace Corps’ list of 25 top volunteer-producing colleges in the medium school category, according to the corps’ annual list released Tuesday. For the past four years, GW held the No. 1 spot in the category.
Fifty-three undergraduate George Washington alumni are currently serving as Peace Corps volunteers overseas. Since the Peace Corps’ inception in 1961, more than 1,100 George Washington University alumni have served, making the university the 29th top volunteer-producing school of all time.
“GW is proud to continue our long legacy of Peace Corps participation at the highest level,” said Amy Cohen, executive director of the Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service. “It is a wonderful opportunity for our students to continue their GW education in service, policy and international development with real-world engagement that has a deep impact.”
Alumna Danielle Nesmith said she draws on her George Washington education while serving in the Peace Corps in Albania. “Every day I use the skills and knowledge I acquired while attending GW,” she said. “When I visit villages and meet people, I remember the lessons about cultural relativism and comparative politics. When I was learning the Albanian language, I applied strategies from my years of studying Spanish.”
Supriya Shah, an education volunteer and alumna, said her experience in Botswana has been life-changing. “It is an unparalleled opportunity to grow and learn about yourself and the world around you. It allows you to see things from a totally new perspective.”
The Peace Corps ranks top colleges annually according to the size of the student body. Small schools have less than 5,000 undergraduates, medium-sized schools have between 5,000 and 15,000 undergraduates, and large schools have more than 15,000 undergraduates. Rankings are calculated based on fiscal year 2012 data.
GW students, faculty and staff who have served in Peace Corps shared their stories for the Peace Corps 50th Anniversary celebration held at GW.
A Peace Corps Information Session will be held at GW at 4 p.m. on Feb. 13.