12.3 percent volunteer

Montana Living — The Peace Corps recently named Missoula the No. 1 metro area for producing volunteers per capita in 2016.
Out of every 100,000 residents, 12.3 people in Missoula volunteer with the Peace Corps. Missoula previously made the top spot in 2011.
Last year, the University of Montana also became the No. 10 medium-sized university for producing Peace Corps volunteers, ranking on the top-25 list for the 12th time. Currently, 24 alumni volunteer worldwide, for a total of 847 UM volunteers since the Peace Corps’ founding.

“The University of Montana has a long tradition as a top contributor of volunteers who answer the call to serve the mission of world peace and friendship,” said David Reese, Peace Corps supervisory public affairs specialist. “We are grateful and proud of the university’s development of globally aware individuals with the commitment to make a difference through service in host communities around the world as Peace Corps volunteers.”
The state of Montana ranks third among top volunteer-producing states per capita, with five volunteers for every 100,000 residents.
A listing of the 2016 top states and metropolitan areas is online at http://bit.ly/2ibWcJk.

Established by President John F. Kennedy in 1961, the Peace Corps sends Americans abroad to create lasting change within the global community. Through their experience, volunteers develop sustainable solutions to address challenges in education, health, economic development, agriculture, environment and youth development, while gaining a unique cultural understanding and a lifelong commitment to service. More than 225,000 Americans of all ages have served in 140 countries worldwide. 
For more information on Peace Corps opportunities, call Terri Nichols, UM Peace Corps campus representative, at 406-243-2839 or visit http://www.umt.edu/peace-corps/default.php.