For the 16th consecutive year, Michigan State University has earned a spot on Peace Corps’ Top Volunteer-Producing Colleges and Universities list. With 33 Spartans currently making a difference around the world as volunteers, MSU ranks No. 22 among large universities nationwide on the 2016 list.
Since the agency was created in 1961, 2,357 alums have served overseas, making Michigan State the No. 6 all-time producer of Peace Corps volunteers.
“The Peace Corps is a unique opportunity for college graduates to put their education into practice and become agents of change in communities around the world,” Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet said. “Today’s graduates understand the importance of intercultural understanding and are raising their hands in record numbers to take on the challenge of international service.”
One MSU alum who is making a difference as a Peace Corps volunteer is Chelsea Rawe, who has served in Nepal as a health volunteer since September 2014. Rawe, of Clarkston, Michigan, promotes healthy diets, sanitation and improved use of stoves to members of her community. She’s also working with government counterparts to create a local birthing center.
Experiences at MSU, including studying abroad in Ecuador and Sri Lanka, helped put Rawe, 23, on the path to Peace Corps. After she completes her service, she plans to attend medical school and pursue a career in women’s health.
“Upon learning I was coming to Nepal I was even able to meet with a retired MSU Nepali professor to learn more about the culture and language prior to arrival,” said the 2014 graduate. “MSU’s wide variety of courses enabled me to think about things like health and nutrition from so many perspectives. Things are never quite as simple as they seem, and in order to have success you need to assess issues from multiple sectors and vantage points.”
This year’s rankings follow a 40-year high in applications for the Peace Corps in 2015. This record-breaking number comes after the first full year the agency implemented historic reforms allowing applicants to choose the countries and assignments for which they’d like to be considered.
MSU offers Peace Corps master’s international programs in the areas of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics and Community Sustainability. This unique program allows students to combine Peace Corps service with graduate studies for credit.
Peace Corps also works with MSU to host two on-campus recruiters who share their personal experiences as volunteers and provide information about applying. Erika Kraus, who served in Benin, and Elena Dulys-Nusbaum, who served in Panama, can be reached at (517) 432-7474 and msupeace@msu.edu.
Anyone interested in learning more can like the Facebook page, drop in during office hours or attend an event this semester.
Currently, 222 Michigan residents are serving in Peace Corps. Overall, 7,228 Michigan residents have served since the agency was created in 1961.