February 02, 2011

Lewis & Clark top producer of Peace Corps volunteers in new ranking

Lewis & Clark top producer of Peace Corps volunteers in new ranking

Lewis & Clark is a top provider of Peace Corps volunteers. Lewis & Clark tied for third in the Peace Corps’ 2011 ranking, jumping nine spots from 2010. 

Currently, 23 Lewis & Clark alumni are serving as Peace Corps volunteers. Since the organization’s founding in 1961, 352 Lewis & Clark graduates have served. Peace Corps volunteers work in 77 countries in the areas of education, youth and community development, health and HIV/AIDS, business information and communication technology, agriculture, and environment.

“Lewis & Clark is proud but not surprised that so many of our graduates make overseas service a part of their lives,” said President Barry Glassner. “Wherever they go, our alumni bring with them a wealth of knowledge about the world from their study-abroad experiences, study of foreign languages, and insights from their coursework in international affairs, economics, political science, and indeed, throughout the curriculum.”

For nearly 50 years, Lewis & Clark has offered students opportunities to immerse themselves in cultures around the world through its highly regarded overseas programs. Approximately 60 percent of its students participate in an overseas program before graduation, conducting research, learning languages, and immersing themselves in local cultural and socio-political environments in places such as Vietnam, eastern Africa, China, and India.

In addition to global engagement, Lewis & Clark supports a strong commitment to public service locally and around the world. For example, local public service projects are organized at the beginning and end of each school year, students can access grants to travel abroad for self-directed projects, and students have consistently earned highly competitive Kathryn Davis Projects for Peace grants to carry out projects around the world.

“The combination of hunger for knowledge about the world and a commitment to community are what make Lewis & Clark students and alumni a good fit for the Peace Corps,” said Jane Hunter, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “Students come to campus hoping to make the world better, and they leave with the skills and determination to begin to make it happen.”