Peace Corps Preparatory Program

Knox is the pilot site -- and the first college or university in the country -- with an official Peace Corps Preparatory Program. This program features a curriculum designed to prepare students to serve in the Peace Corps or in international service. The program includes coursework in international studies, education, and foreign language study, as well as a community service project or opportunity to study abroad.

The Peace Corps Program serves to advance the goals of the Peace Corps under its charter: to help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women; to help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served; and to help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans. Although participation in Peace Corps Prep doesn't guarantee that applicants will be accepted as volunteers, the specialized curriculum and experience should make them strong candidates. Peace Corps expects to widen its pool of qualified candidates by rolling the Knox College pilot program out to other colleges and universities across the country.

Since 1961, more than 187,000 Peace Corps Volunteers have helped promote a better understanding between Americans and the people of the 139 countries where volunteers have served. Historically over 180 Knox alumni have served in the Peace Corps, and currently Knox has 11 alumni in the field.

Knox has a long tradition of sending graduates to the Peace Corps. In the 1960s, Knox had one of the highest percentages of graduates in the Peace Corps of any college in the nation. The high percentage of Knox alumni serving in the Peace Corps was among the criteria used by The Washington Monthly magazine when it recently recognized Knox as one of the nation's top 25 liberal arts colleges, and ranked Knox 10th in the nation for its Peace Corps Prep Program.

Peacebuilding Conference 2013 - Work that Matters: Engaging the World After Knox
An inaugural Peacebuilding Conference was held April 12 and 13, in celebration of the five-year anniversary of the Knox Peace Corps Prep Program. This event honored volunteers and alumni, and connected them with students, faculty, staff, and community members. Among the events, the former Peace Corps acting director who was involved in the creation of Knox's Peace Corps Prep Program, Judy Olsen gave the Keynote Address.