Wisconsin’s Peace Corps Community
Continued Service to Our Nation
As Peace Corps Volunteers
●Nearly 6,300 Wisconsin citizens served as Peace Corps Volunteers. Approximately 190 citizens are currently serving from Wisconsin.
●On a per capita basis, Madison ranked 8th among metropolitan areas sending Peace Corps Volunteers in 2017. The Chicago-Joliet-Naperville region ranked 4th among metropolitan areas for sending Volunteers in 2017.
●Among large colleges and universities, the University of Wisconsin-Madison currently ranks 1st in the nation in sending Peace Corps Volunteers overseas.
●The University of Wisconsin – Madison ranks 2nd in the nation for the total number of Peace Corps Volunteer alumni sent overseas since 1961. Almost 3,239 Peace Corps Volunteers have come from UW-Madison.
●Peace Corps has educational partnerships with Marquette University and the University of Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
As Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
●Almost 2,700 Wisconsin citizens are connected with the National Peace Corps Association.
●NPCA Affiliate Groups are located in Madison and Milwaukee.
●The 36th annualFreeze for Food 5K/10K,(organized by the RPCVs of Wisconsin-Madison), was held in March 2017, raising funds for Open Doors for Refugees, a new Madison-based group that many members are working closely with.
●During the Wisconsin-Madison 2017 RPCV Spring Gift-Away program, over $22,000 was granted to deserving projects. Funds from the sale of the group’s RPCV International Calendar supported proposals ranging from kitchens, water and sanitation, micro-lending, libraries, and sewing machines to afters-school programs and STEAM camps in countries such as Mongolia, Guatemala, Kenya, Columbia, Guinea, Nicaragua as well as projects in Wisconsin.
●In 2016, the Milwaukee Peace Corps Association held volunteer projects at the BLITS (through the Victory Garden Initiative), the NAMI Walk of Milwaukee and the Pridefest Parade.
Notable Peace Corps
Volunteers of Wisconsin
Jim Doyle
Tunisia, 1967-1969
Attorney in Madison; fmr. Governor of Wisconsin; fmr. Attorney General of Wisconsin; fmr. Dane County District Attorney; graduate of Harvard and University of Wisconsin-Madison
Tom Petri
Somalia 1966-1967
Fmr. Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin’s 6th district; member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 2nd district; attended Harvard University
Rita Argus
Senegal, 2014-2016
Graduate of University of Wisconsin - Madison; raised enough funds for the “Kaffrine Youth Leadership Camp” project to host a 3-day camp for youth focusing on topics such as health, environment, gender, future, community, and family organization
Chrissy Miresse
Panama, 2014-2016
From the greater Milwaukee Area; raised enough funds for the “Save Trees & Breathe with Ease” project which will build 24 eco-friendly stoves in a countryside community in Panama