<rleton College ranks 20th in the number of Peace Corps volunteers for 2008, as the College produced 15 alumni volunteers last year to push its cumulative alumni Peace Corps volunteer number past the 500 mark.
Carleton produced 15 volunteers during the past year, placing it on the Peace Corps “Top Colleges and Universities” list for small colleges and universities. The University of Chicago topped the list with 35 alumni volunteers, followed by Carleton’s Northfield neighbor, St. Olaf College, with 26 volunteers. Macalester College (19, 9th) and Gustavus Adolphus College (18, 10th) also made the small colleges and universities list from Minnesota, while the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities tied for ninth with 65 volunteers on the large colleges and universities list.
Last year Carleton had 22 volunteers, and ranking fifth highest among small colleges and universities. Carleton had been ranked third among small colleges in producing volunteers in the period 1961-2005, with 426 volunteers, according to the last cumulative report available. Incorporating recent numbers, Carleton has produced more than 500 Peace Corps volunteers from 1961-2008.
Since its inception in 1961, the Peace Corps has received volunteers from over 3,000 institutions across the United States and Puerto Rico.