The annual Peace Corps Top 25 list ranked UCSB 18th in the country for enlisting the most student volunteers in 2008.

The list of colleges and universities ranks schools based on the number of recruits the campus places in the volunteer organization. The results, released on Jan. 12th by the organization, named UCSB as the nation’s 18th highest producer of Peace Corps volunteers in the large college and university bracket.

The Peace Corps credited UCSB – which tied with UC San Diego – with shipping out 49 volunteers to the 76 various countries around the world that the organization serves. In the last 47 years of its operation, the Peace Corps has had 1,472 UCSB alumni pledge to its cause.

In a letter, Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter thanked Chancellor Henry T. Yang for the university’s continued dedication to the program.

“On behalf of the Peace Corps, please accept my profound gratitude for your support of the agency and its volunteers,” Tschetter said. “Your support has been instrumental to the success of the Peace Corps, and we look forward to continuing a successful collaboration in the decades to come.”

UC institutions are historically major contributors to the ranks of the Peace Corps. In 2008, UC Berkeley earned fourth place with 83 volunteers, UC Davis 15th place with 53 volunteers and UC Los Angeles earned 17th place with 50 volunteers. UC Santa Cruz placed second in the list of medium-sized colleges and universities this year with 52 volunteers.

According to a press release, the Peace Corps – created in 1961 by President Kennedy as a youth volunteer-service program – has sent over 195,000 volunteers to 139 different countries since its inception. 7,876 Peace Corps Volunteers are currently committed to the 27-month service.
– Staff Report