FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Peace Corps Ranked as a Top Ideal Employer by College Students and Young Professionals in Universum Survey

Federal Agency Ranked #5 with College Students and #11 with Young Professionals

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 23, 2011 The Peace Corps ranks #5 as an Ideal Employer by undergraduate students in the fields of Natural Sciences and Humanities and Liberal Arts, and #11 overall by young professionals in a March 22, 2011 survey by Universum, a global employer branding firm. The results were conducted from responses of 10,000 young professionals and 56,900 college students from 345 leading universities.

Peace Corps service is a life-defining leadership experience. I encourage students and young professionals to explore the opportunities and benefits of serving with the Peace Corps, said Peace Corps Director Aaron S. Williams (Dominican Republic, 1967-1970). Volunteers return to the United States as global citizens, with leadership, cross-cultural understanding, and language and technical skills that position them well for professional opportunities.

Peace Corps volunteers generally work in one of six job sectors: agriculture, business and information technology, education, environment, health and HIV/AIDS, and youth development. Assignments cover a wide range of activities, including teaching English as a second language, harnessing emerging technologies in rural areas, sharing environmental preservation techniques, and creating income generating projects. Peace Corps volunteers help people build better lives for themselves and their communities.

In addition to gaining invaluable leadership experience, there are many benefits available to Peace Corps volunteers, including the following:

No Fee: Unlike most international volunteer programs, there is no fee to participate in Peace Corps and travel costs are provided to and from the country of service.

Student Loans Partial Cancellation and Deferment: Volunteers with Perkins loans may be eligible for a partial cancellation benefit, ranging from 15 to 70 percent of an existing loan. Volunteers may defer repayment of federal student loans and some commercial loans.

Living Expenses: Peace Corps provides volunteers with a living allowance that enables them to live in a manner similar to the local people in their community, covering housing, food, and incidentals.

Medical and Dental: Volunteers have full coverage during service and access to affordable health insurance for up to 18 months following service.

Vacation Time: Volunteers receive two vacation days per month of service, a total of 48 days over two years.

Transition Funds: Returning from overseas requires some adjustment. To assist with the transition back home, volunteers are paid $7,425 (before taxes) at the close of 27 months of service.

UNIVERSUM SURVEY RESULTS
(Data was collected between between December 2009 and March 2010)

Top five most desirable employers for Natural Sciences majors:
1. National Institutes of Health
2. Mayo Clinic
3. Centers for Disease Control
4. American Cancer Society
5. Peace Corps

Top five most desirable employers for Humanities and Liberal Arts majors:
1. Teach for America
2. U.S. Department of State
3. Walt Disney Company
4. Google
5. Peace Corps

Top 15 most desirable employers for young professionals:
1. Google
2. Apple
3. The Walt Disney Company
4. U.S. Department of State
5. Amazon
6. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
7. Microsoft
8. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
9. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
10. Teach for America
11. Peace Corps
12. Nike
13. Johnson & Johnson
14. National Institutes of Health
15. Mayo Clinic

About the Peace Corps: President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps on March 1, 1961, by executive order. Throughout 2011, Peace Corps is commemorating 50 years of promoting peace and friendship around the world. Historically, more than 200,000 Americans have served with the Peace Corps to promote a better understanding between Americans and the people of 139 host countries. Today, 8,655 volunteers are working with local communities in 77 host countries. Peace Corps volunteers must be U.S. citizens and at least 18 years of age. Peace Corps service is a 27-month commitment. Visit www.peacecorps.gov for more information.

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