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A large group of smiling children and adults pose together on a rocky hill summit overlooking an expanse of lush green countryside.

The Wisconsin Idea volunteers for the Peace Corps

UW–Madison has been named the top volunteer-producing university since 2017.

​By Charles Monroe-Kane
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When Senator John F. Kennedy arrived at the University of Michigan at 2 a.m. on October 14, 1960, tired from a day of campaigning for the presidency, he expected to go straight to bed. Instead, he was greeted by some 10,000 students, inspiring him to deliver an impromptu speech challenging them to serve their country overseas.

Just a few months later, inspired by the enthusiasm of the students that night, the recently-elected President Kennedy established the Peace Corps on March 1, 1961.

“The initial reactions to the Peace Corps are convincing proof that we have, in this country, an immense reservoir of such men and women — anxious to sacrifice their energies and time and toil to the cause of world peace,” President Kennedy said of the program. “Life in the Peace Corps will not be easy … But if the life will not be easy, it will be rich and satisfying.”

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Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.
President Kennedy, Inaugural Address on January 20, 1961

When the Peace Corps was established, it served only five countries. Over the past 65 years, nearly 250,000 Americans have volunteered across 144 counties, and few student bodies have answered the call as enthusiastically as UW–Madison’s.

More than 3,300 UW–Madison students have volunteered for the Peace Corps since its inaugural year, making UW a near-constant presence at the top of the annual list of top volunteer-producing universities, included being ranked No. 1 in the nation from 2017 to 2026.

What inspires a Badger to leave their country and spend 27 months — right after graduating college — to choose, as President Kennedy put it, a life that “will not be easy?” We asked six UW alums who are serving right now that very question.

Fiona/Morocco

  • Originally from Washington, D.C.
  • Graduated UW in 2025
  • Studied Political Science, History, and Global Health
  • Volunteers as a youth development worker and English teacher in Morocco
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I grew up a privileged life as an American, and with the opportunities I was able to receive. The Peace Corps gives you a chance to truly invest in communities around the world and create sustainable projects and change.

I believe [the Peace Corps] creates an avenue to put and showcase the best of American values to impactful use by supporting, uplifting and engaging with the world around us.
Four women and two young children sit together indoors against a yellow wall, with one child holding up a smartphone displaying a photo.
Four individuals pose together as two women in the center jointly display a certificate in front of a Peace Corps banner.
Two smiling women take an outdoor selfie in a sunny desert setting with camels standing behind them.
Three smiling women stand side-by-side wearing traditional Moroccan kaftans with ornate gold belts and embroidery in dark blue, maroon, and royal blue.
Two women stand on a rocky overlook facing a desert river valley with sparse palm trees and surrounded by mountains under a bright blue sky.
A close-up selfie of a woman displaying detailed henna designs on her hand in a peace sign gesture, with a smiling woman wearing a hijab sitting in the background.

Max/Namibia

  • Originally from McFarland, Wisconsin
  • Graduated in 2019 with a BA from UW-Eau Claire and 2026 enrolled MA from UW–Madison. Studied History
  • Volunteers as Secondary English Education teacher in Namibia
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I joined the Peace Corps because I was always interested in the mission of the organization, and the opportunity arose in my life to serve, I jumped into it.

Knowing that volunteers may have a short stint in their community, but a lifelong impact was really something that bolstered my interest in the Peace Corps, and I found all these things throughout my service and beyond.
Four adults stand side-by-side outdoors near a building, smiling together for a group photo.
A large group of adults, children, and an elderly woman holding a cane pose together outside in front of a yellow-orange house.
A smiling man wearing a red-and-black striped traditional tunic plays a wooden hand drum on an outdoor patio while onlookers watch.

Natalie/Peru

  • Originally from Madison, Wisconsin
  • Graduated UW in 2024
  • Studied Journalism and Mass Communications
  • Volunteers as a youth development worker in Peru
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I wanted to experience a perspective so far removed from the U.S., so I could better understand life in another part of the world. And after graduating from UW–Madison, I wasn’t sure what my next steps were. I wanted something that would push me outside of my comfort zone, helped me grow and give me time to figure out what I wanted to pursue.
An instructor in a grey vest speaks beside a whiteboard while a student writes on a poster before seated classmates in a pink-walled classroom.
Performers in vibrant, traditional Andean clothing dance on an open grassy field surrounded by tall trees and mountains under a clear sky.
High-angle view overlooking a hillside town with terracotta-tiled roofs, surrounding green fields, and distant mountains beneath a partly cloudy blue sky.

Lincoln/Benin

  • Originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Graduated UW in 2025
  • Studied Economics, French, History, and Development Economics
  • Volunteers as a sustainable agricultural systems worker in Benin
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I was inspired to join Peace Corps Benin for a multitude of reasons throughout my life. In middle school, I just wanted to be as cool as a family friend who had served. In high school, the sense of adventure and unique language learning opportunities enticed me. At UW–Madison, I wanted to join the expansive list of Badger volunteers and develop valuable career skills while still being of service to the people I would work with.
An instructor gestures excitedly while holding an eraser in front of a blackboard covered in French text while students listen from their classroom desks.
A thatched wooden shelter stands on reddish dirt in a rural village, set against green mountains under an overcast sky.
A large group of smiling children and adults pose together on a rocky hill summit overlooking an expanse of lush green countryside.

Mikayla/Panama

  • Originally from Boulder, Colorado
  • Graduated UW in 2024
  • Studied Mechanical Engineering
  • Volunteered as a youth development worker in Panama
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I joined the Peace Corps because I wanted to improve my Spanish, learn about a new culture and live in a different country.

I really enjoyed going up to a neighbor’s house and sitting with them on their patio for a few hours, asking them what crops they’re planting based on the season, and enjoying their presence and company without having to worry about being somewhere or doing something.
A woman and three young children kneel on the floor together while choosing books from a metal bookshelf in a decorated classroom library.
A Peace Corps volunteer wearing a red shirt holds a roll of tape while assisting two young students working at a computer desk.
Four students stand facing a white wall while using paintbrushes to create an educational mural titled 'Estados de la Materia' ('States of Matter' in English).

Ash/Mongolia

  • Originally from Oconto, Wisconsin
  • Graduated UW in 2026
  • Studied Political Science, International Studies, and Eastern European/Central Asian and African Studies
  • Volunteers as an English teacher and student council organizer in Mongolia
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I wanted to give something to someone I would have never met in my entire life. A Peace Corps volunteer is one of the most important roles for people growing up here, because they provide something that a lot of English teachers can’t provide, which is a native speakers proficiency in English.

But also, you can join a community, be a part of a community and help develop a community to create better leaders.

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Tags: alumni, Peace Corps, The Wisconsin Idea

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