Fewer UNC graduates participate in the Peace Corps

While it remains high on the list of schools whose graduates participate in the Peace Corps, UNC has fallen in the rankings for the second year in a row.

In 2014, UNC was ranked 25th on a list of higher education institutions whose students participate in Peace Corps, with 35 undergraduate alumni volunteers for the international volunteer program. Last year, the University was ranked 14th, which is less than in 2012, when UNC earned the 8th spot.

This trend is partly due to the improving economy, said Thomas Phillips, who is in charge of Peace Corps recruitment at UNC and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Republic of Georgia from 2004 to 2005.

With more working opportunities outside nonprofit organizations, students are less attracted by nonprofit work because of its lower pay, he said.

“Nonprofit work, across the board, is incredibly valuable, because of the relationships people make, the immediate improvement that they make in people’s lives, and also the long-term capacity building,” Phillips said.

Jacquelyn Gist, assistant director of University Career Services, said the Peace Corps was slower last year in reaching out to students because the new recruiter was not fully trained until later in the fall.

“I don’t think it has anything to do with students are not interested in Peace Corps. I think they certainly are,” said Gist.

But students who participate in the program don’t remember the pay — just the experiences.

“It expands your horizon in a lot of ways,” said April Salerno, a UNC alumna who served in Moldova from 2003 to 2005.

“It helps you see how other people live and it also help you build a lot of skills in terms of how well you communicate with others and how adaptable you are.”

Salerno said she realized there are many different ways to pursue life after she came back to the United States, and she said her experience in Peace Corps made her a richer person.

Leslie McAbee, a participant of Peace Corps from 2007 to 2009 and a graduate student, said UNC is very supportive of international volunteering.

“I will say that, in terms of UNC, I think we have a really unique community of students, and also an administration that is really interested in pushing the global awareness, global education and global connections with other countries,” McAbee said.

Senior Shelbi Flynn said UNC is a service-oriented university, and her experiences teaching English to immigrant children influenced her decision to apply to the Peace Corps after graduation.

“I want to broaden my perspective, I want to learn, and I want to understand things better,” Flynn said. She said a historically well-established program like the Peace Corps will help her have a better idea of what her passions are.

Phillips said the organization is still looking to expand. He encourages students who are flexible, have a spirit of adventure and have a desire to do something really positive to apply for the Peace Corps.

“Peace Corps is really appealing because it’s all about people,” said Phillips.

“It’s almost like getting your graduate degree in people — learning other cultures, learning languages and how to communicate.”

university@dailytarheel.com