ASU among Peace Corps' 2016 top volunteer-producing universities

A woman flashes the ASU pitchfork gesture at a commencement speech

Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet flashes the pitchfork at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences convocation May 12, 2015, in Tempe, where she delivered the keynote address. Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU Now

February 18, 2016

Today, the Peace Corps announced that Arizona State University ranked No. 22 among large schools on the agency’s 2016 Top Volunteer-Producing Colleges and Universities list. There are 33 Sun Devil alumni currently volunteering worldwide. This year, ASU leads all Arizona schools in producing the most Peace Corps volunteers.

Such dedication to service is not unusual for ASU students and alumni. ASU is also a top producer of Teach for America volunteers, was the first university to become an Employer of National Service, and founded a first-of-its-kind Public Service Academy for undergraduates looking to use their university education for public good.

“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."

Since the Peace Corps’ founding in 1961, 1,017 alumni from ASU have served, and the university has ranked in the top 25 undergraduate schools for four consecutive years. Sun Devil alumni also hold the No. 36 spot overall for all-time highest volunteer-producing schools.

“Peace Corps volunteers are capacity builders,” said Caressa Kruth, ASU alumna serving in Nicaragua. “We are constantly training the trainers; whether they are youth, community members or professionals, our role is to strengthen the community leaders’ knowledge, skills and abilities, so they can do their work even better. In this way, our work is extremely sustainable.”

For students interested in more information about the Peace Corps, ASU is hosting a number of activities and events across all campus locations from Feb. 22-28. Peace Corps Week commemorates President John F. Kennedy’s establishment of the Peace Corps on March 1, 1961, and the Peace Corps community at ASU hosts Peace & Pizza talks, photo exhibitions, and other events to inform and engage about how the Peace Corps makes a difference.

Find out more about Peace Corps Week here: https://eoss.asu.edu/peacecorps/week