Middlebury College Among Peace Corps’ 2016 Top Volunteer-Producing Colleges and Universities
MIDDLEBURY, Vt.– Middlebury College is among the top schools in the Peace Corps’ 2016 rankings of volunteer-producing colleges and universities across the country. This year the College ranked sixth among small schools, with 12 alumni currently volunteering worldwide. This is the second straight year that Middlebury has ranked among the Peace Corps’ top 10 small schools. The Peace Corps categorizes small schools as those with less than 5,000 undergraduates.
“The Peace Corps is a unique opportunity for college graduates to put their education into practice and become agents of change in communities around the world,” Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet said. “Today’s graduates understand the importance of intercultural understanding and are raising their hands in record numbers to take on the challenge of international service.”
Alumni from more than 3,000 colleges and universities nationwide have served in the Peace Corps since the agency’s founding in 1961, including 498 Middlebury alumni.
Two additional Vermont schools were included in the 2016 national rankings. The University of Vermont ranked No. 6 nationally among medium size schools, and Saint Michael’s College ranked No. 11 among small schools.
Vermont is the top volunteer-producing state in the nation on a per capita basis. Fifty-two residents of the Green Mountain State are currently serving in the Peace Corps.
This year’s rankings follow a 40-year high in applications for the Peace Corps in 2015.
Below are the top 10 colleges and universities in the small colleges and universities category and the number of alumni currently serving as Peace Corps volunteers. View the complete 2016 rankings of the top 25 schools in each undergraduate category here.
Small Colleges & Universities – Total Volunteers:
Less than 5,000 undergraduates
1. Gonzaga University (18)
1. University of Puget Sound (18)
3. Macalester College (17)
4. Evergreen State College (13)
4. Carleton College (13)
6. Middlebury College (12)
6. Willamette University (12)
8. University of Mary Washington (11)
8. Dickinson College (11)
8. Simmons College (11)
*Rankings are calculated based on fiscal year 2015 data as of September 30, 2015, as self-reported by Peace Corps volunteers.