Rice among Peace Corps’ Top Volunteer-Producing Colleges and Universities

Rice University is ranked No. 22 on Peace Corps’ Top Volunteer-Producing Colleges and Universities for 2017 in the small-school category.

With nine alumni currently volunteering in the Peace Corps worldwide, Rice is one of five schools with fewer than 5,000 undergraduates tied for No. 22 in the rankings. Denison University is ranked No. 1 in the category; it has 16 undergraduate alumni volunteers.

Sarah Cook ’10, who graduated with a degree in English and Latin American studies from Rice, is currently serving in the Dominican Republic as an education volunteer and credits Rice with giving her the tools she needed to be a Peace Corps volunteer.

Established in 1961 with an executive order from President John F. Kennedy, the Peace Corps sends Americans abroad to tackle the most pressing needs of people around the world. Over the years, 240 Rice alumni have traveled abroad to serve as volunteers.

According to the Peace Corps, service in the organization is “a life-defining, hands-on experience that offers volunteers the opportunity to travel to a community overseas and make a lasting difference in the lives of others.”

Sarah Cook ’10, who graduated with a degree in English and Latin American studies from Rice, is currently serving in the Dominican Republic as an education volunteer and credits Rice with giving her the tools she needed to be a Peace Corps volunteer.

“Rice University has a diverse student body and faculty that prepared me for the rich and rewarding experience of forming connections with people with a different past than my own,” Cook said. “These tools allowed me to try different approaches once I arrived in my community. More than anything, Rice is an inclusive school that celebrates differences in a way that inspired me to explore and travel.”

Cook works with students in her community to improve literacy and helps to provide teachers with the tools and support they need to improve teaching practices. She also oversees a peer-tutoring program where students can tutor and lead clubs and teaches a dance class for middle school girls.

“My favorite part of service has been forming friendships with children in my community and watching them grow and change,” Cook said. “The creativity, innovation and energy of the children are inspirational. I am always greeted with a hug, a smile, a joke or a story as I walk down the road to my home.

“These moments brighten my day and are something that I will miss greatly when I leave.”

For the complete rankings of the Peace Corps’ top volunteer-producing colleges and universities for 2017, visit http://bit.ly/2lv9jHG.