As many graduates prepare for jobs requiring suits and high heels, 107 UF alumni are having experiences where boots and backpacks are the norm.
UF ranks No. 1 on Peace Corps’ 2013 Top Colleges for large schools. UF tied for first place with the University of Washington.
However, budget and contract conflicts have left the UF International Center without a designated recruiter this year, said David Sammons, dean of the UF International Center.
“We very much value the opportunity for our students to consider Peace Corps as an option when they graduate, and we would like to continue to be a major contributor of volunteers,” Sammons said.
This is the first time UF has held the No. 1 spot, according to a Peace Corps press release. UF was ranked No. 4 last year.
There are 107 undergraduate alumni from UF serving overseas as Peace Corps volunteers.
“Students are drawn to Peace Corps for a sense of service and an interest in humanitarian effort,” said Alethea Parker, Peace Corps public affairs specialist for the Southeast region.
Chad Chernet, a returning Peace Corps volunteer who is now a recruiter for the organization, graduated from UF in 1999.
“As an alumni of the University of Florida, it does not come to a surprise to me that UF is currently ranked No. 1 in currently serving volunteers because the Student Body has always put others before themselves,” he said.
Parker said the recruiter previously assigned to UF did a great job. He is excited about the possibilities Chernet brings to a campus.
Chernet said he thinks Peace Corps fits well within the idea of service that is close to the heart of the Gator Nation.
“I’m certain that UF will remain committed to volunteer work, both internally and domestically, and is going to serve as a leader in the area of community development,” he said.
