Peace Corps announced last week that the University of Florida ranked No. 2 among large schools on the agency’s list of top volunteer-producing colleges and universities in 2020. There are 70 Gators currently volunteering in countries around the world.

The University of Florida has consistently ranked in the top 10 for past five years. This year UF made a significant jump to the No. 2 spot after being ranked No. 9 in 2019.

Amanda Brinton, UF Campus Peace Corps Recruiter, became part of the UF International Center’s team in August 2019. Since then, she has put time and effort to promote Peace Corps opportunities on UF campus and the community at large. From 2012-2014, Amanda served in the U.S. Peace Corps in an indigenous community in the Ecuadorian Amazon where she led and assisted with projects primarily focusing on recycling, accessibility to potable water, and environmental education in the schools. During her time in the Peace Corps, Amanda’s professional focus shifted from tropical forestry and indigenous land tenure rights to solid waste management and recycling in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The UF Peace Corps Office is located in Room 154 at the International Center on the first floor of the HUB. Amanda holds office hours Wednesdays from 2-3pm and Thursdays from 12-1:30pm. For more information about UF Peace Corps and to find out what makes a competitive applicant, please visit here or contact Amanda at peacecorps@ufic.ufl.edu

Since the Peace Corps’ founding in 1961, over 1,460 alumni from UF have served abroad as Peace Corps volunteers.  Additionally, the state of Florida ranks No. 5 among states with the highest number of Peace Corps volunteers. There are 341 volunteers from the Sunshine State currently serving worldwide and over 8,580 Floridians have served in the Peace Corps since it was founded.

The Peace Corps ranks its top volunteer-producing colleges and universities annually according to the size of the student body. Below, find the top five schools in each category and the number of alumni currently serving as Peace Corps volunteers. View the complete 2020 rankings of the top 25 schools in each category here.

Large Colleges & Universities – Total Volunteers:

More than 15,000 Undergraduates

1. University of Wisconsin-Madison – 79

2. University of Florida – 70

3. University of Virginia – 68

4. University of Maryland – College Park – 66

5. University of Georgia – 64

Medium Colleges & Universities – Total Volunteers:

Between 5,000 and 15,000 undergraduates

1. George Washington University – 62

2. American University – 48

3. College of William and Mary – 46

4. University of Vermont – 45

5. Tulane University – 34

Small Colleges & Universities – Total Volunteers:

Fewer than 5,000 undergraduates

1. St. Lawrence University – 19

2. Dartmouth College – 15

3. Eckerd College – 14

4. Bucknell University – 13 (tied)

4. Allegheny – 13 (tied)

4. Whitman College–13 (tied)

Graduate Schools – Total Volunteers:

1. George Washington University – 14

2. New York University – 11 (tied)

2. Tulane University – 11 (tied)

2. University of South Florida –11 (tied)

2. University of Washington – 11 (tied)

Historical, Since 1961:

1. University of California - Berkeley – 3,741

2. University of Wisconsin - Madison – 3,369

3. University of Washington – 3,101

4. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor – 2,775

5. University of Colorado - Boulder – 2,556

 

*Rankings are calculated based on fiscal year 2019 data as of September 30, 2019, as self-reported by Peace Corps volunteers.

About the Peace Corps: The Peace Corps sends Americans with a passion for service abroad on behalf of the United States to work with communities and create lasting change. Volunteers develop sustainable solutions to address challenges in education, health, community economic development, agriculture, the environment and youth development. Through their Peace Corps experience, volunteers gain a unique cultural understanding and a life-long commitment to service that positions them to succeed in today's global economy. Since President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, more than 240,000 Americans of all ages have served in 142 countries worldwide. For more information, visit peacecorps.gov and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.