Thirty-seven AU alumni volunteered in 2004 to join the Peace Corps, ranking the school as having the 13th most volunteers among medium-sized universities.
AU's ranking has risen steadily in this list over the last several years. Significantly, AU is among the smallest of the group of schools categorized as medium-sized, with an undergraduate enrollment of just over 5,000. (The category includes universities with 5,000 to 15,000 undergraduates.)
The rise in ranking reflects AU's hard-earned reputation for fostering global thinking. People on campus tend to be more aware of international events than students elsewhere. Indeed, the School of International Service at times seems to act like a feeder to the Peace Corps. But students from other majors are not left out of AU's worldwide focus, with all the forums and student groups on campus that take on global issues. For instance, look to AU SHARE's efforts in raising money to aid tsunami victims to see an example of the campus's global scope.
It's encouraging to see so many Eagles take two years of their lives to help others throughout the world. In fact, Peace Corps enrollment is up across the board, and there is even a waiting list for applicants now. While it's a shame that the Peace Corps' limited resources hinder the chance of people to join, it's a good sign that there are so many people willing and wanting to help.
