Penn State Alumni Peace Corps Volunteers In Top 10
March 22, 2001
University Park, Pa. – With 56 of its alumni serving in the Peace Corps, Penn State ranks 10th on the 2001 list of universities with the most alumni volunteers working overseas for the organization.
Information released this month by the Peace Corps shows that Penn State alumni are serving in 41 countries, mostly training teachers in such topics as English, math and science. Since its founding in 1961, the Peace Corps has had 660 Penn State alumni work in 105 countries, according to Peace Corps spokesperson Elizabeth Kramer.
Penn State is the only Pennsylvania institution among the top 25 universities on the 2001 list. Among Big Ten schools, only the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Michigan have more Peace Corps volunteers than Penn State.
“The strong showing of colleges from so many different parts of the country illustrates that many students today are solidly dedicated to service and deeply value the unique experience Peace Corps offers,” says Peace Corps acting director Charles Baquet III.
Overall, more than 7,300 volunteers and trainees are serving in 78 countries this year—the highest level in 26 years. For more information about the Peace Corps, visit http://www.peacecorps.gov.
**gwc**
Contact: Gary W. Cramer, Penn State Department of Public Information, at (814) 865-7517 or gwc104@psu.edu; Elizabeth Kramer, Peace Corps public affairs specialist, at (212) 637-6484 or ekramer@peacecorps.gov