New Peace Corps volunteers push NAU into top 10

Northern Arizona University has moved up 10 spots this year on the list of medium-size colleges with the most alumni serving in the Peace Corps.

Called one of the “most impressive movers” on the list, NAU jumped from No. 20 to No. 10.

Robyn Wilson, a former Peace Corps volunteer who now serves as a corps recruiter for NAU, found 39 new volunteers in 2006.

“NAU provides a really strong commitment to give back to the community,” said Susan Cooper, director of the Institute of Future Workforce Development, which oversees the Peace Corps office at NAU. “This community reminds me of back when I went to school in the ’60s…That whole generation of students who were interested in the world, the environment and just making the world a better place.”

In its rankings, Peace Corps grouped universities according to student population. Schools with fewer than 5,000 undergraduates are considered “small,” those with 5,000 to 15,000 are “medium-size,” and those with more than 15,000 are “large.”

For information, call (928) 523-5583 or e-mail peacecorps@nau.edu.