President John F. Kennedy in 1961 called upon Americans to "ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country," and established the Peace Corps. This year, 22 Tufts students are answering his call and serving overseas in the government organization, which places Tufts second among universities with less than 5,000 undergraduates in the number of alumni to enroll in the Peace Corps.
This marks the second year that Tufts has ranked among the top suppliers of Peace Corps volunteers.
Thanks in part to Tufts graduates, the Peace Corps recently reached its highest enrollment in more than 26 years, with over 7,300 volunteers and trainees worldwide.
"With a strong international focus and a proven dedication to volunteerism and service, Tufts students and alumni continue to play an important role in the Peace Corps," President John DiBiaggio said in a press release. "I am proud that Tufts remains a leader and is preparing its students for active service in the global community."
The goal of the Corps is to improve educational opportunities for children by working with teachers and parents. Volunteers work with communities to protect the local environment and create economic opportunities, work on projects to keep families healthy, help farmers increase their yield, and curtail the spread of AIDS. The overall purpose, however, is to empower people to take control of their future.
While there is no single reason for Tufts' high numbers, Assistant Director of Recruiting for Career Services Marie McCool said that the campus atmosphere contributes heavily to Tufts' success. "Overall, it's the social consciousness of the University," she said. "It's not necessarily anything we do. We provide the forum, but the mentality is already there."
Tufts had more participants than many other Boston-area schools, including nearby institutions such as Harvard and Brown, which did not make the list. The top school in the under-5,000 undergraduates category was Middlebury College, which had 32 graduates enrolled in the program though it has half as many undergraduate students as Tufts. The University of Wisconsin-Madison took top honors overall for the third year in a row, with 93 graduates currently serving.
Though Career Services does not directly recruit students for the organization, Tufts assists representatives of the Peace Corps in tabling, and conducting information sessions and on-campus interviews.
"We help students figure out their strengths and their passions, and figure out what they might do in the future," Director of Career Services Jean Papalia said. "The Peace Corps appeals to a lot of Tufts students."
"The strong showing of colleges from so many different parts of the country illustrates that many students today are solidly dedicated to service and deeply value the unique experience Peace Corps offers," Peace Corps Acting Director Charles Baquet, III said in a press release.
Life as a volunteer in the Corps is not easy, according the Corps' website. Volunteers are expected to serve in their host countries for two years, and are afforded no special privileges. Often, they are stationed in remote communities. Intensive language and cultural training allow them to become an integral part of the communities where they live, and they must speak the local language and adapt to the cultures and customs of the people with whom they work.
The Corps has sent over 161,000 trained volunteers to 134 countries since 1961. During its 40th anniversary year, the Peace Corps hopes to boost the number of volunteers by 25 percent.
