For the sixth year in a row, the Peace Corps has named the University of Mary Washington to its annual list of “Top Producing Colleges and Universities.” UMW ranks sixth among small colleges and universities with less than 5,000 undergraduates, with 20 alumni currently volunteering for the Peace Corps. Since the Peace Corps’ inception in 1961, 184 Mary Washington alumni have served the 27-month commitment around the world.
This year, UMW tied for sixth place with Gonzaga University in Spokane, Wash., and Oberlin College in Ohio. Last year, the university also ranked sixth among small colleges.
The first five small colleges and universities named to the list include the University of Chicago with 35 volunteers; St. Olaf College with 26 volunteers; and Middlebury College, Smith College and the University of Puget Sound with 21 volunteers each.
In the category of large colleges and universities with more than 15,000 undergraduates, the University of Washington retained the highest ranking with 104 volunteers. George Washington University ranked first among medium-size colleges and universities with 57 alumni volunteers currently serving in the Peace Corps.
The University of California-Berkeley, with a cumulative total of 3,371 alumni, holds the record for volunteers since the Peace Corps was established by President Kennedy in 1961.
Since its founding, more than 190,000 volunteers have helped promote a better understanding between Americans and the people of the 139 countries where volunteers have served. Volunteers must be U.S. citizens and at least 18 years of age.