University of Wisconsin–Madison
From classroom stories in local libraries to policy discussions at the heart of campus, International Education Week (IEW) at UW–Madison was a celebration of the Wisconsin Idea without borders. With more than 20 events spanning academic departments, student services, and public venues, the week highlighted how international education strengthens our broader Madison community, connects local …
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is ranked No. 1 on the Peace Corps’ 2026 Top Volunteer-Producing Colleges and Universities list. The university also maintained its place as the No. 2 all-time volunteer-producing institution with 3,466 alumni serving since 1961. From October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025, 63 Badgers served in 34 countries, including Albania/Montenegro, Belize, Benin, Botswana, …
For Michael Cavey, a proud alumnus of UW–Madison, the path from a lecture hall on Bascom Hill to a prestigious diplomatic role in Tokyo wasn’t a straight line—it was a journey that took him to the heart of Central Asia and back again, driven by a desire for international service. His initial interest in international …
The University of Wisconsin–Madison leads the nation among large colleges and universities on the Peace Corps’ 2025 list of Top Volunteer-Producing Colleges and Universities, with 46 alumni currently serving in 30 countries around the world. UW–Madison’s recognition as the top university for 2025 affirms its long-standing commitment to public service and global engagement. Since the …
Peace Corps volunteers are taught to expect the unexpected. This is not arbitrary advice, as many volunteers find themselves with experiences they will hold onto for the rest of their lives. At the 2024 Peace Corps Story Slam: “A Life Unimagined,” part of Peace Corps Week, Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCV) shared five-minute stories recounting …
Russian has taken 2016 UW–Madison graduate Elizabeth Olguin everywhere from her ballet classes in the U.S. to development projects in Moldova. Thanks to a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Award for 2021-2022, her next destination will be a classroom in Kazakhstan. Olguin began taking Russian in her freshman year of college at Ohio State University and …
For Robert Sarwark, joining the Peace Corps just made a lot of sense. As an undergraduate, the UW–Madison English/Creative Writing major (’06) had studied abroad in Spain, where he discovered a deep love for international travel. A year or so after graduating, he heard a friend talking about the positive experiences he’d had with AmeriCorps. …
Teri Allendorf applied for the Peace Corps in the early 1990s with an eye toward East Africa, where she was hoping to use her knowledge of Swahili. But when the program gave her a list of four possible destinations, none were in her desired location. Instead, she chose Nepal. And that decision has shaped her entire …
On March 1, 1961, President John F. Kennedy signed an executive order that established the Peace Corps. That order has led to more than 240,000 Americans serving worldwide, including over 6,400 Wisconsinites, nearly 3,300 of whom attended UW–Madison. In celebration of the 60th anniversary of Peace Corps, UW–Madison will be hosting a gathering of past …
The Peace Corps has announced that for the fourth year in a row, the University of Wisconsin–Madison is No. 1 on the agency’s list of top volunteer-producing colleges and universities in 2020. There are 79 Badgers currently volunteering around the world. Since the agency’s founding in 1961, around 3,369 alumni from the University of Wisconsin–Madison …