Boulder campus No. 4 in producing Peace Corps volunteers

BOULDER » The Peace Corps announced on Wednesday that the University of Colorado is a top university that produces volunteers, ranking No. 4 on a list of large colleges and universities.

“This ranking says a lot about the CU Boulder community and the curiosity we have for things outside of Boulder and Colorado,” Pamela Civins, CU Peace Corps strategic campus recruiter, said in an email. “The ranking shows our students a re interested in community service and being involved to help make positive change in an ever- growing complicated world. CU Boulder is developing and encouraging their students to ‘ do.’ ”

The Boulder campus h as a Peace Corps Prep program, which is an undergraduate program where students can meet certain requirements to earn a certificate that prepares them for the Peace Corps and helps their application.

The rankings are a list of colleges and universities that have produced the highest all-time number of Peace Corps volunteers since the agency was established in 1961. During the last six decades, more than 240,000 Peace Corps volunteers f rom more t han 3,000 colleges a nd universities have served in 144 countries. This year CU ranked fourth in the large- sized enrollment category, with more than 2,130 serving as Peace Corps volunteers.

“Today’s world requires problemsolvers and people who understand that it is only through shared impact that we will change the trajectory of global issues. Curiosity and openness to others are cultivated in school, but must be nurtured throughout our lifetimes,” Peace Corps Director Carol Spahn said in a release .“I am so grateful to these outstanding institutions for challenging and inspiring their students to not only be exceptional students but also to go on to be informed and intentional global citizens.”

The Peace Corps is an international service network of volunteers, community members, host country partners and staff. Peace Corps volunteers work alongside people around the globe on locally prioritized projects in the areas of education, health, environment, agriculture, community economic development and youth development.

“College is a time for students to become life- long learners, and the Peace Corps is a place for CU Boulder graduates to continue learning,” C ivins said. “Peace Corps provides an opportunity to learn about a new culture, to learn a new language, and to learn new skills. It’s an experiential learning opportunity that, in my opinion, is priceless.

Colorado College also made the list in top small colleges at No. 7, with 365 volunteers.

The University of Denver was the top medium- size graduate school that historically produced the most volunteers, with 305.