GRANVILLE, Ohio—Denison University jumped 13 spots this year to No. 7 on the Peace Corps’ annual list of the top volunteer-producing small colleges and universities across the country. With 17 alumni currently serving overseas as Peace Corps volunteers, the school makes its fifth consecutive appearance on the list and remains a solid source of individuals committed to making a difference at home and abroad. Since the agency was created in 1961, 259 Denison graduates have served as Peace Corps volunteers.
“The liberal arts education that Denison graduates receive familiarizes them with the social, economic, and civic challenges that men, women and families experience worldwide,” said Denison President Dale T. Knobel. “While still in college, many engage in off-campus service activities that give them tools and a passion for service. It’s no wonder that so many find opportunities to serve in the Peace Corps.”
“Every year, graduates of colleges and universities across the United States are making a difference in communities overseas through Peace Corps service,” said Carrie Hessler, acting director of the Peace Corps. “As a result of the top-notch education they receive, these graduates are well prepared for the challenge of international service. They become leaders in their host communities and carry the spirit of service and leadership back with them when they return home.”
Peace Corps volunteer Melanie Warning of Cincinnati graduated from Denison in 2011 with a degree in dance and psychology. As a youth development volunteer currently serving in Morocco, she facilitates activities to help young people in her community, in addition to working in a women’s center.
“Denison inspired me to seek challenges that not only help me grow as an individual, but also make a positive difference in the world,” Warning, 23, said. “Denison opened my mind to new possibilities of experiencing life.”
Five other Ohio schools earned recognition. Ohio State University ranks No. 9 among large universities and Miami University in Oxford is No. 11 on the list of medium-sized schools. Alongside Denison and other small schools, Oberlin College has 20 volunteers, Kenyon College has 16, and Case Western Reserve University has 15.
Since President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps by executive order on March 1, 1961, more than 210,000 Americans have served in 139 host countries. Today, 8,073 volunteers are working with local communities in 76 host countries in agriculture, community economic development, education, environment, health and youth in development. Visit
www.peacecorps.gov for more information.
About Denison:
Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.
