With career opportunities ranging from Nabisco to Cisco, one organization at Career Days 2000 is offering — not a job in corporate America — but a chance to volunteer to the world.

Peace Corps, established by former President John F. Kennedy in 1961, is among the hundreds of businesses and corporations at The Bryce Jordan Center for this week's career fair.

Students who volunteer for the corps spend two years of their time serving abroad in one of many different academic fields.

But the relationship between Penn State and the corps extends further than just the booth at the center.

Penn State is one of the leading universities in producing Peace Corps volunteers, said Chrissy Boryenace, Peace Corps recruiter and Penn State graduate. She herself was a Peace Corps volunteer working with agriculture in Paraguay.

"We're ranked fourth on Peace Corps' ranking of universities," she said. "Last year we ranked 12th."

According to a Peace Corps press release, only the Universities of Wisconsin, Michigan and Colorado currently outrank Penn State.

Boryenace said the fact that the corps and Penn State Career Services work together and jointly hire a campus recruiter plays a role in the high numbers of Penn State alumni who join the corps.

But perhaps more importantly, Boryenace said, "Penn State students are so well prepared academically and have such good language skills that they can offer a lot to the Peace Corps."

Currently about 80 Penn State graduates are serving in the corps, Boryenace said.

"Most Penn State grads are serving in the business sector and agriculture," Boryenace added.

She added health services, environment and education are other fields in which Penn State alumni are serving.

The volunteers usually end up in Central America, Africa and Central and Eastern Europe, she said.

For one student who visited the booth, the corps offers an opportunity to continue a record of public service.

"I do a lot of service here at Penn State, and I know I want to continue that as a career," said Alyson Levin (senior-public relations).

"I want a job where I am helping people all the time and not just sitting behind a desk at a corporation."

Boryenace affirmed that the corps gives students more time to volunteer after graduation.

In addition, she said, "A lot of people are going to the Peace Corps because there are ways for educational opportunities afterwards."

Students seemed impressed by the prospects of serving in the corps.

"Peace Corps is obviously well-known around," said Jeffrey Arp (senior-biology). "I think they have quite a lot to offer with respects to post-graduate work."

Boryenace added the corps is a way for business people to make international connections, especially in Central and Eastern Europe, and for students in general to become fluent in a second language.

She also said the corps could be worthwhile for all students, regardless of how certain their future is.

"A lot of Penn State students are uncertain if their career track is taking them where they want to go," she said.

Just the opportunity to explore other countries attracted some students to the booth.

"I think it gives you a broader aspect in the world, opens your eyes," said Michele Hoffman (senior-management science and information systems).

Peace Corps will be at booth W-21 from 1 to 7 p.m. today at The Bryce Jordan Center.