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Laura Linde has taken the Wisconsin Idea south of the border, and the children in a small village in Nicaragua couldn’t be happier.

Linde, a 2014 chemistry and environmental studies graduate from UW-Madison, is one of 87 alumni serving in the Peace Corps, making the state’s flagship school the top volunteer-producing college or university in the country, campus officials announced recently.

This is the third year UW-Madison has placed in the top five for Peace Corps volunteers, coming in second in 2016.

“Public service is a proud tradition at UW-Madison, and our partnership with the Peace Corps is one longstanding example,” Chancellor Rebecca Blank said.

“Not only do our graduates make meaningful contributions in communities around the world, they gain valuable knowledge and leadership skills that will remain with them for a lifetime,” Blank said. “It is truly the Wisconsin Idea in action.”

Linde was inspired after attending a career fair and heard from other Peace Corps volunteers.

“For me, serving in the Peace Corps stems from the Wisconsin Idea, which is taking the experiences and knowledge I learned at Madison and applying them beyond the state borders,” she said.