University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa recognized by Peace Corps

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Contact:
Shawn Nakamoto, (808) 956-0990
Senior Dir., Communications & Marketing, Chancellor's Office
David Reese, (310) 356-1114
Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist, Peace Corps West Region
Posted: Feb 18, 2016


WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Peace Corps announced that the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa ranked No. 20 among medium schools on the agency’s 2016 Top Volunteer-Producing Colleges and Universities list. There are 14 Rainbow Warrior alumni currently volunteering worldwide.

“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.”

Alumni from more than 3,000 colleges and universities nationwide have served in the Peace Corps since the agency’s founding in 1961, including 594 alumni from UH Mānoa. The state of Hawaiʻi has produced 1,426 volunteers since the Peace Corps was founded.

“The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is proud to be recognized as a top volunteer-producing university for the Peace Corps,” said Reed Dasenbrock, vice chancellor for Academic Affairs. “This ranking demonstrates our alumni’s commitment to service and civic engagement, both here in Hawaiʻi and around the world.”


This year’s rankings follow a 40-year high in applications for the Peace Corps in 2015.  This record-breaking number of applicants comes after the first full year that the agency’s historic application and recruitment reforms have been in place. Applicants will now find a simplified, more personal application process, and can learn more by reaching out to the West regional recruitment office by clicking here.

The Peace Corps ranks its top volunteer-producing colleges and universities annually according to the size of the student body. Below find the top five colleges and universities in each category and the number of alumni currently serving as Peace Corps volunteers. View the complete 2016 rankings of the top 25 schools in each undergraduate category here.

Large Colleges & Universities – Total Volunteers:

More than 15,000 undergraduates

1. University of Washington (72)

2. University of Wisconsin–Madison (68)

3. University of Florida (59)

3. University of Minnesota (59)

5. University of Colorado Boulder (53)

 

Medium Colleges & Universities – Total Volunteers:

Between 5,000 and 15,000 undergraduates

1. The George Washington University (43)

2. American University (42)

3. Western Washington University (41)

4. Cornell University (38)

5. University of Virginia (36)

 

Small Colleges & Universities – Total Volunteers:

Less than 5,000 undergraduates

1. Gonzaga University (18)

1. University of Puget Sound (18)

3. Macalester College (17)

4. The Evergreen State College (13)

4. Carleton College (13)

 

Graduate Schools – Total Volunteers:

1. Tulane University (18)

2. University of Denver (17)

2. University of Michigan (17)

4. University of Washington (16)

5. American University (15)

 

Historical, Since 1961 – Total Volunteers:

1. University of California, Berkeley (3,615)

2. University of Wisconsin–Madison (3,184)

3. University of Washington (2,937)

4. University of Michigan (2,640)

5. University of Colorado Boulder (2,435)

*Rankings are calculated based on fiscal year 2015 data as of September 30, 2015, as self-reported by Peace Corps volunteers.

About the Peace Corps: The Peace Corps sends the best and brightest Americans abroad on behalf of the United States to address the most pressing needs of people around the world. Volunteers work with their community members at the grassroots level to develop sustainable solutions to challenges in education, health, economic development, agriculture, environment and youth development. Through their service, 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 220,000 Americans of all ages have served in 141 countries worldwide. For more information, visit www.peacecorps.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Contact: David Reese, Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist
West Region
310.356.1114 Direct
dreese@peacecorps.gov