UF ranks second among large colleges and universities in Peace Corps recruitment

February 2, 2011

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The University of Florida ranked second among large colleges and universities in the 2011 Peace Corps’ rankings of top recruiting schools, released today.

With 97 recruits, UF climbed three spots from its No. 5 position in the 2010 rankings. The 2011 ranking was UF’s highest to date.
David Sammons, dean of the UF International Center, said the ranking was a strong indicator of how international UF’s focus has become.

“The success we have encountered in Peace Corps recruiting is a natural extension of our efforts to sensitize students to the rest of the world, to make them globally competent, and to encourage them to give something back,” Sammons said. “We are proud that so many of our students are making the choice to volunteer. And, as a former Peace Corps volunteer myself, I can assert that there is no better way to contribute to making the world a better place than Peace Corps service.”

UF Peace Corps recruiter Amy Panikowski agreed.

“I think this really reflects this evolving culture of service on UF campus,” she said. “Students at UF are constantly questioning their purpose in the world and are seeking to make their purpose a reality. So many people say they want to do something, but these students have acted on their desire to help others.”

The top 10 Peace Corps large colleges and universities for 2011 are:
1. University of Colorado at Boulder — 117
2. University of Florida — 97
3. University of Michigan — 94
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill — 94
University of Washington — 94
6. University of California, Berkeley — 92
University of California, Los Angeles — 92
8. University of Wisconsin – Madison — 91
9. Michigan State University — 87
10. Colorado State University — 79