UC San Diego Again Named
a Peace Corps ‘Top College’

Public service a key mission for University of California, San Diego

Feburary 09, 2010

By Christine Clark

UC San Diego alumna, Jenna Houts,’08, has been a Peace Corps volunteer in Paraguay for five months. With 46 alumni currently serving as volunteers, UC San Diego ranks No. 22 nationally for large universities as a “Peace Corps Top College.”

UC San Diego alumna, Jenna Houts,’08, has been a Peace Corps volunteer in Paraguay for five months and the experience has completely changed her life. “I've learned that to fully understand a culture you can’t just read or study the culture -- you have live in it,” Houts said. “The exciting part is that every morning I wake up in Paraguay, I never know what the day will bring. I’m constantly learning about the Paraguayan culture.”

Houts is one UC San Diego alumna who has helped her alma mater earn a top spot on the annual list of “Peace Corps Top Colleges and Universities” for the fourth year in a row.The Peace Corps’ Top Colleges report ranks colleges and universities according to the size of the student body.

Houts graduated from UC San Diego’s School for International Relations and Pacific Studies (IR/PS) with a master’s degree with an emphasis on nonprofit management and international development. In Paraguay, she works in the community development sector.

With 46 alumni currently serving as volunteers, UC San Diego ranks No. 22 nationally for large universities. Since the Peace Corps’ inception in 1961, 630 UC San Diego alumni have served overseas as Peace Corps volunteers. Historically, nearly 200,000 Americans have served with the Peace Corps to promote a better understanding between Americans and the people of 139 host countries. UC San Diego alumni have a long tradition of serving others through programs such as the Peace Corps; these alumni play a vital role in solving real-world problems and improving the lives of people around the world through advanced healthcare, continuing education and public programs.

“For nearly 50 years, enthusiastic college alumni have contributed to the success of Peace Corps programs and our mission to promote world peace and friendship in host communities around the world,” said Peace Corps director Aaron S. Williams. “Peace Corps service is a life changing leadership opportunity and a great career foundation in almost every field, ranging from international development, education, public health, engineering, agriculture and law, to name a few. I am proud of our historic relationship with over 3,000 colleges and universities in the United States and look forward to recruiting and training the next generation of Peace Corps volunteers.”

Houts graduated from UC San Diego’s School for International Relations and Pacific Studies (IR/PS) with a master’s degree with an emphasis on nonprofit management and international development. In Paraguay, she works in the community development sector where she gives interactive presentations about democracy and youth participation to high school students and leads a group for teenage girls who meet once a week to discuss issues affecting young women in Paraguay.

Andrew Park, ’08, is another current UC San Diego alumni Peace Corps volunteer who lives and works in Zhalagash, Kazakhstan. Park graduated from UC San Diego with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and now lives in a village where he teaches English at a secondary school. “Being at a site is amazing,” Park said. “It’s fun, and I’m getting a lot of work done.”

The highest concentration of UC San Diego alumni are in Guatemala and Namibia. The majority of the Peace Corps volunteers are working in education, the environment, health and business development.

Current UC San Diego students are involved in many community service activities through the campus’ 400-plus student organizations, 68 of which are service-based. These organizations include UCSD Cares, Alternative Breaks and the Associated Students Volunteer Connection.

Media Contact: Christine Clark, 858-534-7618 or ceclark@ucsd.edu