±«Óătv World News
±«Óătv Among Top Schools for Producing Peace Corps Volunteers
More than 545 ±«Óătv alumni have served abroad in the Peace Corps since the program's inception in 1961.
Tampa, Fla. (Feb. 26, 2020) – The ±«Óătv is one of the nation’s top institutions for producing Peace Corps volunteers, according to new rankings released today. ±«Óătv is ranked No. 2 for total graduate volunteers and No. 25 among undergraduate volunteers for large schools, according to the Peace Corps. Currently, there are 38 ±«Óătv students volunteering in countries around the world. Since the agency’s founding in 1961, more than 545 alumni from ±«Óătv have served abroad as Peace Corps volunteers.
±«Óătv graduates highly skilled, globally competent students who have access to a robust selection of intercultural programs on campus and a diverse portfolio of international experiences abroad. Upon graduation, ±«Óătv students are competitive candidates for careers in international development and diplomacy, including the U.S. Peace Corps.
±«Óătv is home to five Peace Corps Coverdell Fellowship programs for graduate students and a Peace Corps Prep (PC Prep) Program designed for undergraduate students. The ±«Óătv PC Prep Program allows students to prepare for service in the Peace Corps through participation in globalized curricular and co-curricular offerings, including leadership training, foreign language acquisition and intercultural skill building.
“Peace Corps Prep is a critical asset to students seeking to solve today’s grand challenges” notes Dr. Alexxis Avalon, Peace Corps Prep coordinator in ±«Óătv World. “±«Óătv is extremely proud of our global citizens who contribute to the betterment of society through their service in Peace Corps.”
One such student, Gabriela Cruz, completed her degree at ±«Óătv in 2019 and is currently serving as a Peace Corps community health facilitator in Peru. Gabriella credits the Peace Corps Prep program for preparing her for success in her current role. As a volunteer she highlights “the value of different perspectives in finding solutions to issues -- such as health disparities -- that affect all of us.”
The State of Florida currently has 341 volunteers serving worldwide, ranking it No. 5 among states across the country. “Top producers are institutions that emphasize global citizenship and service-minded students,” said Peace Corps Director Jody Olsen. “I am excited to know the graduates coming from Peace Corps’ Top Colleges are using their skills to make a positive impact on their communities at home and abroad.”
The Peace Corps ranks its top volunteer-producing colleges and universities annually according to the size of the student body. View the complete 2020 rankings of the top 25 schools in each category .
*Rankings are calculated based on fiscal year 2019 data as of September 30, 2019, as self-reported by Peace Corps volunteers.