Allegheny College Again Among Peace Corps’ Top Volunteer-producing Schools

The Peace Corps announced today that Allegheny College ranked No. 4 among small schools on the agency’s list of top volunteer-producing colleges and universities in 2020. There are 13 Allegheny alumni currently volunteering in countries around the world.

This is the second consecutive year that Allegheny has ranked among the top volunteer-producing schools. In 2019, Allegheny ranked No. 9. This year, the school shares the No. 4 ranking with Bucknell University and Whitman College.

The Peace Corps ranks its top volunteer-producing colleges and universities annually according to the size of the student body. “These schools are institutions that emphasize being global citizens and service-minded students,” said Peace Corps Director Jody Olsen. “I am excited to know the graduates coming from Peace Corps’ Top Colleges are using their skills to make a positive impact on their communities at home and abroad.”

Since the agency’s founding in 1961, more than 220 Allegheny alumni have served abroad as Peace Corps volunteers. Pennsylvania ranks No. 6 among states with the highest number of Peace Corps volunteers, with 293 volunteers from Pennsylvania currently serving worldwide and 8,671 Pennsylvania residents who have served since 1961.

Benjamin Marks '18 is a Peace Corps health volunteer in Botswana.
Benjamin Marks ’18 is a Peace Corps health volunteer in Botswana.

Benjamin Marks graduated from Allegheny in 2018 and is currently serving as a health volunteer in Botswana.

“Using the experience and knowledge gained while earning my bachelor’s in global health studies from Allegheny College, I have joined Botswana’s efforts to educate about and prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, working towards an AIDS-free generation. I feel lucky to have had my Allegheny advisor’s guidance while working on my senior thesis, providing me with the tools to create, implement and evaluate the results of a community health needs assessment completed in my community in central Botswana,” Marks said.

Allegheny students are invited to meet with a regional Peace Corps recruiter who visits campus several times a year as a guest of the Allegheny Gateway. The Gateway is a central location for study and collaboration in which students can access the resources they need to thrive at Allegheny and in their lives after college.

About the Peace Corps

The Peace Corps sends Americans with a passion for service abroad on behalf of the United States to work with communities and create lasting change. Volunteers develop sustainable solutions to address challenges in education, health, community economic development, agriculture, the environment and youth development. Through their Peace Corps experience, volunteers gain a unique cultural understanding and a life-long commitment to service that positions them to succeed in today’s global economy. Since President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, more than 240,000 Americans of all ages have served in 142 countries worldwide. For more information, visit peacecorps.gov.