Macalester College 6th in Placing Peace Corps Volunteers

’06 alum serves as an English teaching volunteer in the Peace Corps

St. Paul, Minn.– For the sixth year in a row, Macalester has placed on the Peace Corps’ list of top colleges nationally producing Peace Corps volunteers.  With 22 alumni currently serving as Peace Corps volunteers, Macalester is No. 6 in this year’s rankings among small-sized colleges and universities (tied with Johns Hopkins), moving up from No. 7 in 2010, and No. 9 two years ago.

“Consistent with our mission of service, multiculturalism, and internationalism, Macalester alumni have been part of the Peace Corps since its inception 50 years ago,” said Denise Ward, Macalester’s associate dean for student services and director of career development. “The high level of participation in Peace Corps by Macalester alumni reflects our students’ commitment to being global leaders.”

The Peace Corps ranks its top volunteer-producing schools annually according to the size of the student body. Small schools have less than 5,000 undergraduates, medium-sized schools have between 5,000 and 15,000 undergraduates, and large schools have more than 15,000 undergraduates. While a college degree is not mandatory for service, approximately 89 percent of Peace Corps volunteers have at least an undergraduate degree.

The Peace Corps provides both tangible benefits and a life-defining leadership experience.  Peace Corps volunteers return from service as global citizens and receive support from the Peace Corps in the form of career services, graduate school opportunities, advantages in federal employment, readjustment allowances, and loan deferment and cancellation opportunities. 
To see the full report of top schools, go to: http://multimedia.peacecorps.gov/multimedia/pdf/stats/schools2011.pdf

Macalester College, founded in 1874, is a national liberal arts college with a full-time enrollment of 1,987 students. Macalester is nationally recognized for its long-standing commitment to academic excellence, internationalism, multiculturalism and civic engagement.