Grinnell remains strong in Peace Corps participation
Aaron Kase's ('04) recent stint in the Peace Corps included his work with a student newspaper club in Burkina Faso Grinnell has a long history with the Peace Corps. Over the years, a wide variety of Grinnellians have served as volunteers in the overseas program dedicated to peace and international understanding.
This year, Grinnell was ranked 18th overall out of small colleges and universities in number of alumni currently serving in the Peace Corps, with 16 serving during 2008. However, on a per capita basis, Grinnell comes in third, with only Reed College and Whitman College having more volunteers per student.
Doug Cutchins '93, director of service and social commitment and a former Peace Corps volunteer, believes that so many Grinnellians are attracted to the Peace Corps because the program fits well with the College's mission.
"It's very consistent with our core values," he says. "It all comes back to the College mission statement, that we graduate students who 'use their knowledge and their abilities to serve the common good.'"
Cutchins says that many students participate in service activities while at Grinnell, and that the international curriculum gives students a global perspective that encourages them to pursue service on an international scale.
Have you served? Over 250 Grinnell alumni have served in dozens of countries since President John F. Kennedy proposed the Peace Corps in 1961. Alumni who served as Peace Corps volunteers are invited to share brief stories and photos. Send stories of no more than 400 words and photos in jpg format to alumni@grinnell.edu with Peace Corps subject line. We look forward to hearing from you.
