University Times

Pitt has placed first among colleges and universities in Pennsylvania and 15th among the top large universities nationwide in the number of its alumni serving as Peace Corps volunteers.

In its annual rankings of the colleges and universities producing the most Peace Corps volunteers, Pitt, at No. 15, was the highest-ranked university to break into the top 25 list for large schools this year, with 52 Pitt alumni currently serving as Peace Corps volunteers. Large schools are those with more than 15,000 undergraduates.

The University of Washington, with 110 alumni volunteers, ranked first among large schools and first overall.

In the Peace Corps’ second annual graduate school rankings, Pitt was ranked No. 10 among all schools, with 11 advanced-degree Pitt alumni currently serving as Peace Corps volunteers. The universities of Michigan and Washington top that list with 20 grad school alums each volunteering.

Among all colleges and universities with alumni currently serving as Peace Corps volunteers, regardless of institutional size, Pitt placed No. 17, tied with Cornell University. Since the Peace Corps’ inception in 1961, 536 Pitt alumni have joined its ranks.

To view the entire “Peace Corps Top Colleges 2007” list, visit the Peace Corps web site at http://www.peacecorps.gov/news/resources/stats/pdf/schools2007.pdf.