For the 11th consecutive year, Emory is ranked among the top 25 medium-sized schools in the U.S. for Peace Corps volunteers, coming in at No. 9 on the 2020 list of Top Volunteer-producing Colleges and Universities.
Emory jumped to No. 9 from last year’s ranking at No. 12.
Currently, 23 Emory students are volunteering with the Peace Corps in countries around the world. A total of 589 Emory alumni have served abroad as Peace Corps volunteers since President John F. Kennedy established the organization in 1961.
“The Career Center continues to appreciate the longstanding relationship established with the East Regional Office of the Peace Corps,” says Don Cornwell, director of Career Services at Emory. “The results of their success in attracting Emory students to international volunteerism is a testament to our students’ desire to live out the mission of the university ‘to create, preserve, teach and apply knowledge in the service of humanity.’”
Lindsey Schnell is one alumna who recently completed service in Peru.
“I've wanted to serve in the Peace Corps since the first time I heard about it in high school,” Schnell says. “I was fortunate to be involved with Emory's exceptional returned Peace Corps volunteer community that encouraged me to apply.”
“Emory does a wonderful job preparing Peace Corps volunteers through matching them to intercultural volunteer opportunities and weekly discussion sessions with future and past volunteers,” Schnell adds. “I hope to have brought compassion for others and inspiration for sustainable education from Emory to my Peruvian mountain community.”
Emory offers returned Peace Corps volunteers an opportunity to continue their service to underserved communities while also pursuing graduate studies at a reduced cost through the Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program. Graduate degrees through Rollins School of Public Health (MPH or MSPH), Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing (BSN or MSN) or Laney Graduate School (development practice) are offered through Emory’s Coverdell Program.
The Peace Corps ranks its top volunteer-producing colleges and universities annually according to the size of the student body. Emory is in the medium-sized school category, which compares colleges and universities with 5,000 to 15,000 undergraduates. View the complete 2020 rankings of the top 25 schools in each category.