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St. Olaf again named a top producer of Peace Corps volunteers serving overseas

Christopher Blissett
April 8, 2002

NORTHFIELD, Minn. ? St. Olaf College ranks third among small colleges and universities for its number of graduates who volunteer overseas in the Peace Corps. St. Olaf ? which moved up from fifth place on the list in 2001 ? currently has 21 alumni serving in the Peace Corps, with several more set to depart soon.

St. Olaf is tied for third on the list with Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. Tufts University (Massachusetts) finished first. Tying for second were Colby College (Maine) and Middlebury College (Vermont).

With 3,000 students, St. Olaf was competing with colleges and universities that have 5,000 or fewer undergraduates.

"The Peace Corps has enjoyed a strong relationship with St. Olaf over the years," said Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez. "We are grateful for the ongoing recruitment support provided to the Peace Corps by the faculty and staff."

The college "is making a major contribution to the promotion of peace," added Lori Clarke, a regional recruiter who visits St. Olaf.

Frank Bures and his wife, Bridgit Jordan, both 1995 St. Olaf graduates who live in Oregon, will depart for their Peace Corps assignments this summer. "I see the Peace Corps as a great way to learn a new culture and language and meet some interesting people," Bures said. He will serve as an English teacher, and Jordan plans to teach basic business skills and advise small-business owners.

Bures, who traveled to Tanzania as part of Global Missions after graduating from St. Olaf, said the college's international focus helped make him aware of the need for global service. "The Peace Corps was a natural step," he said.

St. Olaf College, a national leader among liberal arts institutions, fosters the development of mind, body and spirit. It is a residential college in Northfield, Minn., and affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The college provides personalized instruction and diverse learning environments, with more than two-thirds of its students participating in international studies. For more information, see www.stolaf.edu.

Contact David Gonnerman at 507-786-3315 or gonnermd@stolaf.edu.