Northwestern may be known for its high number of graduates who join Teach for America, but the school is also among the top contributors to the Peace Corps.

NU tied with Emory University for 15th among medium-sized universities in graduates joining the Corps, according to a news release sent out on Sunday. Each school had 32 graduates enter the program in 2010.

“These volunteers are applying the skills and knowledge they acquired during their time at Northwestern to help improve the lives of people across the globe,” said Aaron Williams, Peace Corps director, in a news release.

The George Washington University, the University of Virginia and Western Washington University were the top three in the medium-size school category. The University of Colorado at Boulder topped all schools with 117 graduates joining the Corps.

The Peace Corps was founded in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy. Today, Corps members work in 77 countries throughout the world.

– Ben Geier