UC San Diego ranks fourth in California and 13th nationally for the number of undergraduate alumni that serves in the Peace Corps, according to a report released Tuesday.
Seventy former UCSD students currently serve with the organization, which has more than 8,000 volunteers in 76 countries helping with agriculture, economic development, education, environment, health and youth.
"It's a great honor to have UC San Diego's tradition of serving society recognized by the Peace Corps," said Armin Afsahi, executive director of UC San Diego Alumni. "Our alumni continue to carry on the legacy of UC San Diego's dedication to service throughout the nation and around the world as a result of their education at UC San Diego—it's our mission to create exceptional scholars and global citizens."
This is the third consecutive year that UCSD has been named in the top 15 in Peace Corps' ranking of large universities and the seventh straight year that it has appeared in the top 25. The school has produced 745 Peace Corps volunteers overall.
"Every year, graduates of colleges and universities across the United States are making a difference in communities overseas through Peace Corps service," said Peace Corps Acting Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet. "As a result of the top-notch education they receive, the graduates are well prepared for the challenge of international service."
The University of Washington and University of Florida tied for the top spot among large schools with 107 graduates in the Peace Corps. Western Washington University was the leader for medium-sized campuses and Gonzaga University was the top smaller college.
The leaders among big schools in California are UC Berkeley and UCLA with 85 graduates each, followed by UC Santa Barbara with 76.
—City News Service
