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UW-Madison reaches 3,000 in total Peace Corps volunteers produced
The University of Wisconsin-Madison this year ranks third among large universities nationwide in the number of alumni currently serving as Peace Corps volunteers, up from eighth last year. The 9,095 Peace Corps volunteers now working with local communities in 75 countries include 107 UW–Madison alumni—16 more than last year and just five below the top spot.
UW–Madison also marks a milestone this year, with a total of 3,000 alumni who have served in the Peace Corps since President John F. Kennedy created the agency in 1961. Only the University of California, Berkeley has produced more volunteers (3,497).
UW–Madison has ranked high on the Peace Corps’ Top Colleges and Universities list for 12 years in a row, ever since the annual ranking system began, including six years (2001-06) in the No. 1 spot. This year, the top spots belong to the University of Colorado at Boulder (112) and the University of Washington (110).
Over the agency’s history, 5,630 Wisconsin residents have served as volunteers, with 229 currently in the field.
“Every day, volunteers make countless contributions to projects in agriculture, education, the environment, health and HIV/AIDS education and prevention, small business development, and youth development. I would like to extend my gratitude to all colleges and universities for their continued support of the Peace Corps and public service,” says Peace Corps Director Aaron S. Williams, who received his MBA from UW-Madison.
UW plans in Shanghai receive strong support
Recently announced plans for the University of Wisconsin–Madison to open an office in Shanghai have been well-received in China, including endorsements from Badger alumni in the region and Wisconsin companies doing business there, according to Gilles Bousquet, dean of the Division of International Studies and vice provost for globalization.
“With such strong support, we are moving forward in a serious, decisive manner with our plans for the UW Shanghai Center,” says Bousquet, who traveled to China in mid-November to promote and advance plans for this ground-breaking presence.
UW–Madison’s partners in this initiative, the Minhang District of Shanghai and Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), reiterated their eagerness to move forward as swiftly as possible. A target of June 2012 has been set for the launch of the UW Shanghai Center, to be held in conjunction with a UW-led conference on innovation.
