MSU stays Mich. leader in Peace Corps volunteers

MSU is No. 1 in Michigan and No. 4 in the U.S. for producing Peace Corps volunteers, according to the 2010 rankings released by the Peace Corps organization.

Despite dropping one place since last year’s rankings, MSU maintained its place among the leaders in producing volunteers this year.

Currently, 86 of the 7,671 people serving in the Peace Corps are MSU alumni.

Since the 1961 inception of the program, 2,185 MSU alumni have served, putting MSU as the No. 6 all-time producer of Peace Corps volunteers.

This year’s ranking continues MSU’s trend of being among the nation’s top five volunteer providers — a trend observed since the organization began collecting the data in 2001.

“Our students … are uniquely qualified to help solve the greater problems, the more significant problems of the world,” said Robert Glew, director of MSU’s Center for Advanced Study of International Development.

MSU’s standing with the organization reflects the university’s success in international involvement, said Jeffrey Riedinger, dean of MSU’s International Studies and Programs.

“It sort of validates what we’re doing as an institution,” he said.

“There is an array of scarce skills that the Peace Corps recruits for, and a land grant university like Michigan State is uniquely positioned to provide well-trained graduates to fill those needs.”

Although MSU was No. 3 in the 2009 rankings, the number of volunteers among the leading schools fluctuates slightly and the difference between leaders is “razor thin,” said Christine Torres, public affairs specialist for the Chicago regional press office of the Peace Corps.

The difference between MSU and the No. 3 school, the University of California-Berkeley, is three students.

“Historically, we’ve had very strong interest from our students when they graduate to join the Peace Corps,” Glew said.

For Taylor Vaught, a study abroad experience in Spain contributed to her interest in the Peace Corps. Vaught, a 2006 MSU graduate, wanted to spend time doing something for others.

“Study abroad is oftentimes someone’s first taste of living in a different country and (study abroad and the Peace Corps) go hand in hand,” Vaught said.

MSU’s standing in turning out Peace Corps volunteers speaks to the type of students who graduate from the university, Vaught said.

“It shows the Peace Corps itself and the rest of the world what MSU students are like — that we’re dedicated to serving others, that we’re active members of society as a whole, that we want to make a difference, that we’re inspired to go out and change things and be out there on the ground doing the grassroots kind of dirty work,” she said.