'Washington Monthly': William and Mary in top 25
The College of William and Mary once again fared well in a national ranking of universities. In the recently released Washington Monthly rankings, the D.C.-based magazine listed William and Mary as 23rd in the country – second in terms of the percentage of students who go on to serve in the Peace Corps, according to the magazine.
Washington Monthly evaluated colleges on the contributions their students make to society and examined areas such as community service, research and social mobility. Data considered includes the number of students serving in ROTC programs and in the Peace Corps; annual research spending; the number of students that go on to earn a Ph.D.; research; and recruitment and graduation of low-income students.
William and Mary has long been a leader in civic engagement and service. According to a 2006 survey, students at the College annually contribute more than 323,000 hours of community service. In addition, 75 percent of undergraduates reported that they had participated in volunteer work while at William and Mary.
A report last year by Peace Corps ranked William and Mary sixth in terms of medium-sized collesges and universities and produce Peace Corps volunteers. According to the 2007 report, 42 College alumni are volunteering with the Peace Corps. Since the inception of the Peace Corps in 1961, 475 William and Mary alumni have joined its ranks -- making the College the No. 82 producer of volunteers overall.
Last week, U.S. News & World Report ranked William and Mary was ranked sixth best among public universities. The College ranked 33rd among all national universities. William and Mary was also included in Princeton Review’s list of the Best 366 Colleges and named as one of the best in the Southeast, according to rankings release this week.
