DURHAM, N.H. - Among the hundreds of paths University of New Hampshire graduates choose to take, joining the Peace Corps continues to place the university in the top medium-size schools producing volunteers for the international service group.

Based on results released Tuesday, Feb. 5, UNH rose from No. 18 to No. 12 on the Peace Corps' 2013 list of medium-size schools that saw its graduates enter the nonprofit service organization.

The annual ranking recognizes U.S. colleges and universities according to the size of their student population. Small schools have less than 5,000 undergraduates, medium-sized schools have between 5,000 and 15,000 undergraduates and large schools have more than 15,000 undergraduates. Rankings are calculated based on fiscal year 2012 data as of Sept. 30, 2012 as self-reported by Peace Corps volunteers

Currently there are 27 UNH alumni in the Peace Corps. Since the agency was founded in 1961, a total of 684 UNH grads have volunteered overseas.

Volunteers are now serving in Armenia, China, Costa Rica, Eastern Caribbean, Ethiopia, Georgia, Ghana, Guatemala, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Swaziland, Uganda and Ukraine, working in such areas as agriculture, education, environment, health, community economic development and youth development.

"Every year, graduates of colleges and universities across the United States are making a difference in communities overseas through Peace Corps service," said Carrie Hessler-Radelet, Peace Corps acting director. "As a result of the top-notch education they receive, these graduates are well prepared for the challenge of international service. They become leaders in their host communities and carry the spirit of service and leadership back with them when they return home."

Dartmouth College in Hanover, which has 14 alumni volunteers, also made the 2013 rankings, placing No. 23 among small schools nationwide. New Hampshire is the No. 4 Peace Corps volunteer-producing state in the nation on a per capita basis.

More than 8,000 volunteers are currently working with communities in 76 host countries.

View the entire top 25 rankings for each school size category, as well as all-time and graduate school rankings here.

Peace Corps service is a 27-month commitment and the agency's mission is to promote world peace and friendship and a better understanding between Americans and people of other countries. Visit www.peacecorps.gov for more information.

The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world-class public research university with the feel of a New England liberal arts college. A land, sea, and space-grant university, UNH is the state's flagship public institution, enrolling 12,200 undergraduate and 2,300 graduate students.
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