The Peace Corps has released their yearly ranking of universities producing the most Peace Corps volunteers, and Ohio State has made the list. The Ohio State University ranked 13^th among the top 25 large universities, with 71 alumni currently serving abroad. Ohio State also appears in the rankings of the top ten all-time highest producers of Peace Corps volunteers, taking the number 10 spot with 1,613 alumni volunteering since the program's inception in 1961.

Five other Ohio schools appear on this year's rankings in the two other categories. "Medium Colleges and Universities" finds Miami University at number 6, with 41 serving alumni, and Bowling Green State University at number 21, with 24 alumni currently serving in the Peace Corps. The category for small schools ranks Oberlin College 3^rd (24 volunteers), Case Western Reserve University 10^th, (20 volunteers) and Denison University 20^th (17 volunteers). Traditionally, Ohio is one of the highest Peace Corps-producing states, with 6,728 Ohioans serving since the program began, and 332 volunteering abroad right now.

Peace Corps volunteers traditionally serve for 27 months, putting their skills to work in a few key areas: education and English teaching; agriculture, forestry and environment; public health and HIV/AIDS; youth and community development; math and science, and engineering; and business, planning and IT. Applicants are encouraged to apply for Peace Corps service one year in advance of their desired departure date. Currently, Peace Corps is in need of applicants with backgrounds in agriculture, environment, education, teaching English as a second language and French language skills.

To learn more about the Peace Corps, email Jack Campbell, Ohio State's on-campus recruiter, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or attend an information session. The next session will be held Wednesday, February 29 at 6 p.m. in 102 Kottman Hall.