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Peace Corps applications skyrocket

The Peace Corps have seen a 70-percent increase in applications in one year.

Local college students, preparing to volunteer for the Peace Corps, are getting encouragement from their peers who've already accepted the challenge.

Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois was the first college in the country to establish a Peace Corps Prep Program almost seven years ago. The Peace Corps ranked the college in the top ten on their list of volunteer-producing colleges.

The preps program helps ready students for the Peace Corps with a list of recommended courses to help make students competitive as applicants.

"Learn how to think outside the box, be critical thinkers and think very carefully about the privileged they have as Americans," said professor Robin Ragan.

Since the start of the program, the number of students enrolling in it has doubled.

Nationally, the Peace Corps have seen a 70-percent increase in applications in one year.  Some say the jump is because of changes that make the application process easier. Applicants also now get to choose where they want to be deployed.

It was 54 years ago that the Peace Corps got started under President John F. Kennedy, when he asked students at University of Michigan if they'd be willing to volunteer in underdeveloped countries.

 

 

 

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