VCU ranks among top 20 volunteer producing colleges and universities

By Malorie Burkett

Virginia Commonwealth University alumni recently ranked number 16 on the Peace Corps' 2004 list of top volunteer-producing colleges and universities in the mid-Atlantic region.

There currently are 17 VCU alumni serving in 14 countries, including Ecuador and Tanzania. More than a hundred VCU graduates have served worldwide since 1961.

Other top producers include the University of Virginia, University of North Carolina and Georgetown University.

The Mid-Atlantic region for Peace Corps recruitment covers the District of Columbia, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina and includes 184 four-year colleges and universities.

The Peace Corps was established in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy to promote world peace and friendship. Since that time, more than 170,000 Peace Corps volunteers have been invited by 136 host countries to work on issues ranging from AIDS education, information technology and environmental preservation.