Iowa State ranks 29th among colleges and universities that produce Peace Corps volunteers.

Peace Corps Director Mark Gueran said thousands of college students have made the decision to join Peace Corps since 1961 when the corp began. Of those students, 720 are ISU alumni.

“Throughout its history, the Peace Corps can trace much of its success to the energy and idealism of American college students,” Gueran said. “These colleges and universities are to be commended for producing students committed to making a difference, with a thirst for adventure and with the desire to experience a new culture in an ever-changing world.”

It is the desire and motivation of ISU students that has contributed to the success of the Peace Corps program, he said.

“I think that students today are very willing to join [the Peace Corps]. ISU students are really enthusiastic. We’ve had an overwhelming response from faculty, administration and the ISU community,” ISU Peace Corps representative David Walker said.

Walker has served in the Peace Corps for 5 years, working in both Mauritania and the Dominican Republic of Congo [formerly Zaire].

According to a press release, Peace Corps volunteers have worked in more than 90 countries, mostly in Africa and Central and South America. They hav worked to help fight hunger, teach children, bring clean water to communities and stop the spread of AIDS, the press release stated.

“The Peace Corps experience is different for everyone. For me it was something personal. I gained a lot of knowledge from the people I worked with, learning about other cultures and religions,” Walker said. “I also gave a lot. If you want to experience different cultures, working overseas and having new experiences, the Peace Corps is definitely an option.”

Peace Corps recruiters will be at the engineering career fair on Sept. 23 and the business fair on Sept. 24. Both events will be held at Hilton Coliseum.