Hannah Lundell Wahl, a CSD class of 2025 undergraduate alum and past Hilldale Research Award recipient, was recently featured by UW-Madison for her Peace Corps service. Hannah is currently serving as a Spanish primary school literacy promoter in the Dominican Republic. She is among the 60+ Badgers to serve across 34 countries, ranking the University of Wisconsin–Madison as No. 1 on the Peace Corps’ 2026 Top Volunteer-Producing Colleges and Universities list.
“The Communication Sciences and Disorders Department at UW–Madison played a big role in my decision to serve,” said Wahl. “Much of the curriculum focuses on cultural competency and how a child’s upbringing, culture, and home language influence development. Learning about these factors inspired me to live in another country and experience a different culture firsthand so I can become a more knowledgeable clinician in the future.”
“Even after just seven months, I’ve already learned so much. I have gained confidence and have been moved by the kindness and warmth of people in my community,” Wahl added.
In addition to the current rankings, the university also upheld its No. 2 position as the all-time volunteer-producing institution with 3,466 alumni serving since 1961. UW–Madison students and alumni interested in learning more about service opportunities can visit peacecorps.wisc.edu, connect with UW–Madison’s campus recruiter, and follow the UW–Madison Peace Corps Recruitment Office on Instagram (@uwpeacecorps).