CU Ranks 2nd in Nation in 2009 for Peace Corps Volunteers, 5th All Time

Civic Engagement at CU

The Peace Corps gives CU graduates the opportunity to be critically engaged in a very meaningful way, which fits in with one of the CU's goals of graduating students who are civically and ethically involved in their communities.The Peace Corps is one of the programs overseen by CU's Institute for Ethical and Civic Engagement. Founded in 2005, the IECE oversees seven programs and has funded the development and implementation of 21 civic engagement courses and projects.

• Videos
• Photos
• Podcasts

CU has a long history of sending graduates to the Peace Corps. Learn why CU graduates and the Peace Corps are a good fit.

previous | next

Evan Taylor CU Peace Corps Coordinator

Listen to CU Peace Corps Coordinator and student Evan Taylor describe his volunteer work with the Peace Corps in Mali, Africa. Taylor spent two years working on health education issues in villages around Mali.

With 102 alumni currently serving in the Peace Corps, CU-Boulder is No. 2 in the 2009 ranking of large schools producing Peace Corps volunteers. Since the Peace Corps' inception, 2,157 CU-Boulder alumni have served in the Peace Corps, making it the no. 5 all-time producer of volunteers.

"This is a great honor for the University of Colorado at Boulder," said CU-Boulder Chancellor G.P. "Bud" Peterson. "It is also a tribute to the thousands of our students and alumni who, over two generations, have translated their idealism and desire to serve into the betterment of communities around the world."

CU-Boulder has a long history of graduating service-oriented students. In 2008, CU was one of only three colleges and universities in the United States to receive a Presidential Award for General Community Service.

More than 13,000 CU students participate in some form community service and more than 3,500 are engaged in academic service-learning, a teaching strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction.

Other CU-Boulder Volunteer/Service Programs

Institute for Ethical and Civic Engagement -- Founded in 2005, the IECE's purpose is to nuture and encourage ethical and civic education at CU-Boulder, to prepare students for a lifetime of service to society as thoughtful, ethical and engaged citizens. It oversees seven key programs and has funded the development and implementation of 21 civic engagement courses and projects.

The Volunteer Clearing House -- One of the first organizations of its kind in the nation, the student-oriented VCH has worked to fill community needs since 1965. Currently more than 5,200 students have been linked with volunteer opportunities that best fit their individual interests and have contributed more than 211,000 hours of community service.

Engineers Without Borders -- CU-Boulder is home to the founding chapter of Engineers Without Borders-USA, which is dedicated to helping disadvantaged communities worldwide improve their quality of life by building environmentally and economically sustainable engineering projects. Students have worked on projects from Peru to Rwanda to Nepal during the academic year, on breaks and in the summer.

Puksta Scholars Program -- This nonacademic program provides substantial scholarships and support to approximately 20 students per year who develop and implement intensive yearlong civic engagement projects. Many students report that Puksta has been the most important experience of their college careers. Projects have ranged from developing rooftop gardens to mentoring Muslim high school students.

Contact Information

Peter Simons

303-492-1962

Institute for Ethical and Civic Engagement

• Greg Swenson
  303-492-3113
  Office of News Services