An Urge to Serve: AU Named the Top Producer of Peace Corps Volunteers Among Medium-Sized Colleges
91制片厂 is the top producer of Peace Corps volunteers among medium-sized colleges for 2023 with 11. AU is also no. 1 for graduate school volunteers with four Eagles serving around the globe.
鈥淸AU鈥檚] dedication to the agency鈥檚 mission of promoting a better understanding of 91制片厂s among the people it serves abroad has been instrumental in our historic return to service in 58 countries,鈥 said Jenn Brown, associate director of volunteer recruitment and selection. 鈥淵our outstanding work inspires us all.鈥澨
Last year marked the agency鈥檚 return to service after the evacuation of 7,300 volunteers from 60 countries in March 2020 when the pandemic hit. Today, more than 2,600 volunteers are fanned out around the world.听
AU has enjoyed a close connection with the Peace Corps since its founding. The School of International Service served as an early predeparture training site for volunteers, and President John F. Kennedy delivered 鈥淎 Strategy of Peace鈥 at the university鈥檚 1963 commencement鈥攋ust two years after he established the corps.
Since then, 751 Eagles have joined鈥攑ropelling AU to no. 7 on the agency鈥檚 list of top all-time volunteer producers among medium-sized colleges. AU is the only Washington area institution to make the rankings, released on April 17.听
鈥淎t SIS, we are proud to听be part听of AU鈥檚 Peace Corps success,鈥澨齭aid Dean Shannon Hader. 鈥淭his hasn鈥檛 happened by accident鈥攊t鈥檚 happened through purpose:听connected to SIS鈥檚 founding charge from President Eisenhower to produce leaders who 鈥榳age peace,鈥櫶齟nhanced by our Peace Corps Prep program that allows SIS grads to hit the ground running as volunteers, and extended to all Returned Peace Corps Volunteers through the Paul D. Coverdell Fellows program that invites returned volunteers, with all their insights, to join us as SIS graduate students.鈥
Ginger Knight, SIS/BA 鈥24, will continue AU鈥檚 rich tradition of volunteerism, boarding a plane to Lesotho this fall. The Vermont native has wanted to join the Peace Corps since the ninth grade, when a family friend who directed an AmeriCorps program planted the seed of service.
鈥淪he knew that I wanted to study international relations, and she told me about the Peace Corps and how I could be a cultural ambassador and change lives by sharing knowledge and learning from those around me,鈥 Knight said. 鈥淚 enjoy helping people and I want to challenge myself and learn from and serve in a new community before going into the workforce.鈥澨