UMW falls in Peace Corps rankings

BY COLLEEN HUBER

The University of Mary Washington fell to number 10 among small schools in the Peace Corps 2014 rankings of top-producing colleges and universities in the country, according to a press release from the Peace CorpsOffice of Press Relations.

Colleges and universities are ranked annually by the Peace Corps based on the size of the student body.

Currently, 13 alumni from UMW are serving as Peace Corps volunteers around the world.

Over the past years, UMW was ranked on the Peace Corps’ Top Colleges list. UMW was ranked third in 2013 and first in 2012 and 2011 among small schools.

UMW has over 230 alumni who served as volunteers since 1961, when the Peace Corps was established.

“The University of Mary Washington does an excellent job exposing their students to future opportunities, such as Peace Corps,” said Taylor Parker, class of 2011.
“They hold several Peace Corps related events which provide their students with necessary information.”

According to the press release, Parker, works in Ghana as a health and sanitation volunteer. Parker is trying to add health education to the junior and senior high school curriculums in her area.

“I was lucky enough to have a returned Peace Corps volunteer as one of my professors with whom I could talk about my interest in Peace Corps with. It was one of his stories that sealed the deal. I began my application the next day,” said Parker. “My Peace Corps service has been a great experience and I would not trade it for anything.”

The Peace Corps has eight recruitment offices across the U.S. and UMW uses The Mid-Atlantic regional recruitment office.