aerial view of Western's campus at night facing northwest, with golden lights surrounded by dark trees

WWU again ranked in Top 5 of Peace Corps schools for 2025-26

by Ava Nicholas

WWU Communications intern

For the second year in a row, WWU has ranked fifth among the top Peace Corps volunteer-producing colleges and universities for medium-sized schools with 5,000 to 15,000 students, according to the 2026 rankings recently released by the Peace Corps.

According to Jerry Smith, Western’s Peace Corps recruiter and a former Peace Corps volunteer, Western still holds the top spot among mid-size schools in cumulative volunteer numbers, having sent 1,108 volunteers overseas since 1961. Western's Peace Corps office is a part of WWU's Office of Global Engagement.

Peace Corps volunteers work in over 60 countries promoting world peace and friendship by prioritizing intercultural competence and working towards local goals. Volunteers build lasting relationships, respect and appreciate local values, and make change in the areas of health, agriculture, education, youth development, environment, and community economic development.

“I think Western is a great school for students who want to serve others; that concept is off the charts on this campus,” said Smith. “And I don't have an explanation for it, other than I think the students here are amazing. They want to serve and look beyond themselves and do something that's going to better the world.”

More than 25 WWU alumni are currently serving as Peace Corps volunteers in 18 countries, including Devon Eleanor Sherwood in Peru and Kate McKinley Brown in Zambia, with 13 more getting ready to head abroad in September. A send-off event will be held on campus on June 2, where these volunteers will be celebrated before traveling to their respective destinations.

“We look for three main characteristics in a Peace Corps volunteer. One is resiliency, the other is perseverance, and the third one is flexibility. All three of those traits Western students have in spades,” Smith said.

Students can learn more about how to volunteer with the Peace Corps by visiting the WWU Peace Corps website or by attending monthly info sessions and workshops hosted on campus.