UNC Ranks 10th in Graduate Peace Corps Volunteers

The Peace Corps released a report, titled "Top Peace Corps Universities and Colleges 2002," ranking UNC 10th among universities nationwide for the number of graduates joining the Peace Corps. Last year, UNC was ranked 14th.

UNC tied with the University of California-Davis and Indiana University-Bloomington for 10th place, with 50 alumni joining the corps.

University of Wisconsin-Madison ranked first with 96 alumni volunteers.

The Peace Corps was established on March 1, 1961. It has served 135 countries through the work of nearly 165,000 volunteers and trainees.

"I talk to at least five students every week about the Peace Corps," said Jacquelyn Gist, adviser on nonprofits, social work and arts careers at University Career Services.

The number of applicants has gradually increased over the past decade because of the University's emphasis on service and international experience, she said.

Gist added that she sees many second- and third-generation volunteers because students hear about the Peace Corps experience from relatives.

UNC encourages participation in the Peace Corps rather than other nongovernmental organizations overseas because it works to minimize the danger to its volunteers, she said.

"They take care of you -- American-quality health care," Gist said.

Many applicants are students majoring in international studies, anthropology and business, Gist said.

Spanish also is a popular major for applicants from UNC. Service in Latin America continues to be popular among students, while interest in Eastern European countries has increased.

National trends are similar to those at UNC.

"Latin America and the Caribbean are long-time staples," said Katrina Mathis, a human resources agent for the Corps.

She added that the Peace Corps is actively encouraging students to apply for positions in Eastern Europe and eastern Asia.

But despite President Bush's call in his State of the Union address in January to "renew the promise of the Peace Corps," Gist said there was not an immediate upsurge in applications at UNC.

"Most applicants are not the kind of people to be inspired by one sentence in a State of the Union address by George Bush," she said.

Career Services hired a graduate student earlier this year to work three days a week recruiting Peace Corps applicants.

Only a small percentage of volunteers do not have a bachelor's degree, according to the Peace Corps.

But both Gist and Mathis advised against joining the Peace Corps in place of college.

Mathis said high schoolers who meet the minimum age requirement for the Peace Corps are discouraged from applying and advised to pursue a college education because the Peace Corps looks for people with life experience.

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.