On April 17, the Peace Corps released an announcement listing Oberlin as the top producer of Peace Corps volunteers out of colleges and universities with less than 5,000 undergraduate students. According to the announcement, 509 Oberlin students have joined the Peace Corps since the Corps’ founding in 1961. 

Peace Corps volunteers spend two years living and working abroad within communities on various projects in education, health, environment, agriculture, youth development, and community economic development. The program is attractive to recent graduates, as many positions require an undergraduate degree and commitment to service but often have low thresholds for necessary past experience.

Whether Oberlin advising programs have anything to do with this high rate of volunteer production remains unclear, as neither the Career Exploration and Development Office or the Fellowships Office could confirm whether they advise students interested in joining the Peace Corps.

Unlike some small liberal arts schools, Oberlin does not have a dedicated Peace Corps Prep program, a partnership between the Peace Corps and a school to involve students before they graduate and start to build certifications. However, Oberlin students seem to consistently find their way into the program. 

In a statement released by the College about the ranking, current volunteer Claire Bodger, OC ’21, cited Oberlin’s values as contributing to her decision to join the Corps. 

“Graduates leave Oberlin with a deep sense of social responsibility and a clear sense of our role in making the world a better place, which fits perfectly with the Peace Corps’ vision and values,” Bodger said. 

According to the Peace Corps statement, students across interests and backgrounds should consider applying as long as they’re committed to cross-cultural understanding and working in service of others. Applications for the next round of Peace Corps Volunteers are due May 1. Interested students are encouraged to visit peacecorps.gov/bold to learn more.