Cladia Plantin is a 2012 Geneseo graduate currently teaching literacy at an elementary school in St. Lucia as a Peace Corps volunteer.
GENESEO, N.Y. — SUNY Geneseo continues to be among the Peace Corps’ top volunteer-producing colleges in the country.
The organization has ranked Geneseo 14th among medium-sized schools on the agency’s 2017 list. This is the third straight year that the college has ranked among the top 20 schools in its category, with 18 alumni currently volunteering worldwide. In 2016, Geneseo held the No. 18 position.
Since the agency’s founding in 1961, 272 Geneseo alumni have traveled abroad to serve as volunteers. Service in the Peace Corps is a life-defining, hands-on leadership experience that offers volunteers the opportunity to travel to a community overseas and make a lasting difference in the lives of others.
“As a Geneseo student, I learned the meaning of a true community,” said Cladia Plantin, a 2012 graduate who currently teaches literacy at an elementary school in St. Lucia. “Our differences were celebrated and, most importantly, the college instilled in me the importance of cultural understanding and what it means to strive to be a global citizen of the world.
“I realized the only way to facilitate understanding between cultures is through shared experiences and alliances,” Plantin added. “This attitude has made my Peace Corps service a wonderful experience.”
Acting Peace Corps Director Sheila Crowley emphasized that Peace Corps service is an unparalleled leadership opportunity.
“The experience enables college and university alumni to use the creative-thinking skills they developed in school to make an impact in communities around the world,” she said. “Many college graduates view Peace Corps as a launching pad for their careers because volunteers return home with the cultural competency and entrepreneurial spirit sought after in most fields.”
This year’s rankings follow the launch of a refreshed brand platform that underscores the agency’s commitment to putting the user experience first and makes the Peace Corps more accessible to audiences through the platforms they already use. A simple and personal Peace Corps application process can be completed online in about one hour. Applicants can learn more about service opportunities by assignment area, country and departure date by visiting the Peace Corps website and connecting with a recruiter.
Media Contact:
David Irwin
Media Relations Director
(585) 245-5529
Irwin@geneseo.edu