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20-year streak ends as Washington takes over top spot

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by Nick Penzenstadler

Friday, January 19, 2007

For 20 consecutive years, the University of Wisconsin has produced the most Peace Corps volunteers in the nation.

But in 2007, the University of Washington has taken the top spot.

According to Peace Corps data released last week, 110 alumni volunteers serve from Washington, edging out Madison’s 106 volunteers.

Two other Big Ten universities made the top 10 list, with Michigan and Michigan State producing 82 and 71 volunteers, respectively.

Over the past 45 years, Madison has produced 2,764 of the more than 187,000 Peace Corps volunteers who have served, second only to the University of California-Berkeley with 3,282.

Erin McGillivray, Peace Corps regional recruiter from Minneapolis, said the new figures are disappointing but reveal the tradition of a high number of volunteers.

“It’s a bit of a bummer, but we’re only four people behind — we’re confident that Madison will keep turning out great volunteers,” McGillivray said. “We focus a lot on quality over quantity and we hope to get more people, but there’s something to be said for the 20-year streak.”

According to Nathan Arnold, Peace Corps spokesperson in Washington, D.C. and a 1998 UW graduate, the number of volunteers nationwide is at 7,749 — the second highest total in the past 30 years.

Even though Washington surpassed UW, Arnold said Madison had actually increased its recruitment since last year.

“I was very surprised, but the important thing is that the overall number is up, and [Madison] was a very close No. 2,” Arnold said. “It shows what type of a [person] a UW alum really is — [the university] always puts socially conscious people forward.”

University of Washington spokesperson Bob Roseth attributes the consistently high numbers to graduate programs, where students receive credit for participating in the Peace Corps.

Roseth said that like UW, Washington has had Peace Corps volunteers serving all over the world for a long time.

“It says that there is a dedication overall for students to participate in service — the Peace Corps has a long tradition on this campus,” Roseth said.

Morgridge Center Faculty Director Mike Thornton said the drop in ranking might be good news because it signals more involvement nationwide and from more schools.

Thornton also said the ranking should be looked at as a marker rather than a rivalry.

“I’d rather not see it as a competition,” Thornton said. “We as a country … need to do a better job of producing Peace Corps volunteers.”

McGillivray said the regional recruiting efforts will continue in Madison with frequent visits and recruitment by on-campus representatives.

The Peace Corps provides graduates an opportunity to travel worldwide and aid in numerous situations. They also are expected to educate citizens upon their return from their excursions.

“They represent the face of America to folks who don’t know too much about us,” McGillivray said. “It’s knowledge and skill sharing, and bringing the world back to America.”

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