This year, the College of Charleston ranks 11th on the annual national rankings of the top 25 Peace Corps volunteer-producing schools. Currently 27 undergraduate alumni are serving around the globe. The university jumped 25 positions from its 36th place ranking in 2009.
Since Peace Corps was founded in 1961, 166 College of Charleston alumni have joined the Peace Corps, making it the No. 3 all-time producer of Peace Corps volunteers in South Carolina.
“The College of Charleston is now ranked as one of the most outstanding medium-sized Peace Corps producing undergraduate universities in the nation,” said David Leavitt-D’Agostino, Peace Corps public affairs specialist. “The academic study offered by the School of Languages, Cultures, and World Affairs coupled with a commitment to service learning provide us with alumni who are well prepared for the challenges and commitment that living and working overseas requires.”
Peace Corps is especially attracted to the College of Charleston because many of its undergraduates fill assignments in scarce skill areas where it is traditionally difficult to find qualified applicants. These areas include environmental studies, foreign languages, and teaching math and science.
“For nearly 50 years, enthusiastic college alumni have contributed to the success of Peace Corps programs and our mission to promote world peace and friendship in host communities around the world,” said Peace Corps Director Aaron S. Williams. “Peace Corps service is a life changing leadership opportunity and a great career foundation in almost every field, ranging from international development, education, public health, engineering, agriculture, and law, to name a few. I am proud of our historic relationship with over 3,000 colleges and universities in the United States and look forward to recruiting and training the next generation of Peace Corps volunteers.”
Currently, there are 7,671 Peace Corps volunteers serving in 76 host countries around the world. A college degree is not mandatory for service. Relevant experience in areas such as education, health, business, IT, environment, and agriculture, however, is required. In 2009, Peace Corps received over 15,000 applications, an 18 percent increase over 2008. This is the largest number of applications since the agency began electronically recording applications in 1998.