Monday, Feb 9, 2009

Recruiter scheduled to visit Whitman Thursday, Feb. 19

Whitman has earned a top-20 ranking on the Peace Corps’ annual list of “Top Peace Corps Volunteer-Producing Colleges and Universities” for 2009. Whitman is number 20 among small colleges and universities, with 15 volunteers currently serving in Azerbaijan, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Ghana, Honduras, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Philippines and Senegal.

Whitman’s alumni volunteers use the knowledge and training acquired at Whitman College to make a positive contribution to the lives of people in developing countries around the world, said Ron Tschetter, director of the Peace Corps, in the announcement.

Since 1961, when President Kennedy called upon America’s youth to serve their country by volunteering in developing countries, 289 Whitman alumni have served as Peace Corps volunteers. Current students can learn about service in the Peace Corps Thursday, Feb. 19, when a recruiter is scheduled to visit campus from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in Reid 110.

The Peace Corps today has 7,876 volunteers serving in 76 countries. For more information and to view the entire Peace Corps Top Colleges 2009 ranking, visit www.peacecorps.gov.

CONTACT: Lenel Parish, Whitman College News Service, (509) 527-5156
parishlj@whitman.edu