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The University of Wisconsin-Madison now leads the nation as the top producer of Peace Corps volunteers with 90 alumni currently serving in 42 countries, the Peace Corps announced Tuesday in Madison.

Peace Corps Acting Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet, who grew up in Appleton, was on campus Tuesday to celebrate the Wisconsin flagship's new No. 1 ranking and longtime support of the Peace Corps.

UW-Madison is historically the second-highest producer of Peace Corps volunteers in the country, with a total of 3,112 alumni who have served.

The University of California-Berkeley holds the top all-time spot, with a total of 3,576 volunteers since the Peace Corps' founding in 1961.

UW last held the No. 1 spot in the annual rankings from 2001 through 2006. Ohio State University ranks fourth and University of Michigan ranks fifth in the new rankings.

A troubled economy in recent years has helped create a surge of interest in the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps and other service opportunities across the country.

Many new college grads have been considering a long-term service commitment instead of hunting for a private-sector job in a tight job market, which also allows them to defer repaying student loans.

There's evidence that serving as a Peace Corps volunteer increases the likelihood of getting a job, according to Hessler-Radelet.

"It's a springboard to a career," she said, noting that Peace Corps volunteers develop cultural competency, acquire technical know-how, become fluent in another language and learn to solve complex problems.

The top majors of today's Peace Corps volunteers include international studies, political science, psychology, biology and English.

Top-producing Peace Corps colleges have several common characteristics, including a focus on global and international studies, a strong returned-volunteer community and a sustained commitment to service, according to Hessler-Radelet.

UW-Madison also has a faculty that is global in its perspective, and a commitment to service reflected in coursework, Hessler-Radelet added in an interview after the announcement.

"The mission of the Peace Corps is very much aligned with our guiding principle, the Wisconsin Idea — the commitment that we apply our knowledge and skills to improve the lives of people near and far," UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank said.

UW-Madison's Division of International Studies hosts an on-campus Peace Corps recruiter, who provides information and shares personal experiences as a volunteer.

The current campus recruiter is Eric Luckey, a graduate student who served in Mongolia.

The agency is now accepting applications for assignments in 65 countries for sustainable development projects in agriculture, community economic development, education, environment, health and youth development.

Graduating college students are encouraged to apply by March 1 (Peace Corps Day) for remaining assignment openings for 2014 and the chance to be considered for programs in early 2015.

Peace Corps provides a modest monthly living and housing allowance, full medical and dental coverage, 48 paid vacation days over two years of service and a "readjustment" allowance of $7,425 (pretax) upon completion of service.

The Peace Corps has been working for more than 50 years across more than 139 countries to tackle challenges ranging from climate change, pandemic disease and food security to gender equality and empowerment.

The organization's mission — to promote world peace and friendship — hasn't changed over time.

But today the Peace Corps works in collaboration with partner organizations and uses cutting-edge technologies and well-tested best practices to enhance impact.

The Peace Corps counts more than 215,000 people among its ranks of current and returned volunteers.

More information

To learn more about Peace Corp opportunities, contact recruiter Eric Luckey by phone at (608) 262-1121, by email at peacecorps@international.wisc.edu, or by visiting the Peace Corps office, Room 156 Red Gym, during office hours (Tuesdays 10 a.m.-noon, Wednesdays noon-2 p.m.).