Campus Ranked Among Top Producers of Peace Corps Volunteers

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Woman kneels surrounded by children
UC Davis alumna Whitney Galindo, kneeling, serves as a community health educator in Zambia. (Courtesy photo)

The Peace Corps announced today (Feb. 26) that UC Davis ranks No. 23 among large universities on its 2020 list of top volunteer-producing colleges and universities.

Currently, 42 campus alumni are serving as Peace Corps volunteers in countries around the world, working alongside communities to develop sustainable solutions to challenges in education, health, economic development, agriculture, the environment, and youth development.

Peace Corps Story Slam

The Peace Corps and Global Affairs host the third annual Peace Corps Story Slam: Stories from the Field for returned volunteers and interested applicants at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 16, at International House Davis. As it becomes available, more information will be posted on the Global Affairs calendar of events.

Since the Peace Corps’ founding in 1961, over 1,550 UC Davis alumni have served as Peace Corps volunteers, and the campus has often ranked among top schools for more than a decade.

Whitney Galindo, who graduated in 2016 with a bachelor's degree in clinical  nutrition, is serving as a community health educator in Zambia.

“I have a lot of days here where I feel like I am in Davis with all of the cows, bicycles and sunflower fields,” she said. “Studying at UC Davis helped to inspire the path I took to get here."

Galindo said she was fortunate to have professors and teaching assistants who  shared their experiences as Peace Corps volunteers and offered guidance. "UC Davis challenged me to gain the confidence I needed to make this dream a reality and the skills I needed to pursue my passion,” she added.

The Peace Corps program sends Americans with a passion for service abroad on behalf of the U.S. to work with communities and create lasting change.

A free Peace Corps Prep program, housed within the University of California Education Abroad Program (UCEAP), provides students with an opportunity to combine coursework with professional development to prepare for international development fieldwork and Peace Corps service.

Media Resources

Bonnie Shea, 530-752-7699, bshea@ucdavis.edu

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