Peace Corps ranks Whitman 15th in the nation

Whitman College is ranked 15th on the Peace Corps list of Top Colleges for 2012. The annual list of ranks top Peace Corps volunteer-producing schools according to the size of the student body.

Whitman has been recognized in the small colleges category. The Peace Corps designates small schools as having less than 5,000 undergraduates.

The 18 Whitman alumni currently volunteering overseas continue a longstanding tradition of service to the Peace Corps. Since President John F. Kennedy established the program in 1961, 308 Whitman alumni have served across the world.

“I have always loved the idea of giving help where it is really needed,” said Lauralee Woods ’11, a biochemistry, biophysics, and molecular biology major currently putting her skills to use as a community health volunteer in Peru.

“I have done small community service projects in the past, but joining Peace Corps was a way to put all of my heart and effort into a project, and also grow to know and love another culture,” Woods said.

This is not the first year Whitman has been recognized for its students’ commitment to international service. Whitman has placed on the Peace Corps Top Colleges list for small colleges four times since 2003.

The rankings are calculated based on fiscal year 2011 data, as of September 30, 2011, as self-reported by Peace Corps volunteers.

The Peace Corps Director Aaron S. Williams, Dominican Republic ’67–’70 lauded colleges like Whitman for “preparing thousands of talented undergraduate and graduate alumni for Peace Corps service every year.”

 “Every day, volunteers make countless contributions to projects in agriculture, education, the environment, health and HIV/AIDS education and prevention, small business development, and youth development,” Williams said.

About the Peace Corps

 Today, 9,095 volunteers are working with local communities in 75 host countries. Since Peace Corps volunteers must be U.S. citizens and at least 18 years of age. Peace Corps service is a 27-month commitment and the agency’s mission is to promote world peace and friendship and a better understanding between Americans and people of other countries. Visit www.peacecorps.gov for more information.

Eleanor Ellis ’13 contributed to this article.