GW dropped from its reign as top medium-sized university in the nation for producing Peace Corps volunteers.

The University landed the No. 1 spot for medium-sized schools last year, but American University and Western Washington University rose to the top two spots, respectively, according to a Peace Corps release.

GW did beat out other prominent D.C.-area schools Howard and Georgetown University in its third consecutive year in the top five rankings.

The rankings this year follow the launch of a new brand platform that a Peace Corps representative said “underscores the agency’s commitment to putting the user experience first.”

“Many college graduates view Peace Corps as a launching pad for their careers because volunteers return home with the cultural competency and entrepreneurial spirit sought after in most fields,” Acting Peace Corps Director Sheila Crowley said in a press release.

With a federal hiring freeze in effect and plans to shrink the federal work force, this edge up could be beneficial for alumni looking for jobs who may be forced to look somewhere other than the federal government.

Currently, 45 alumni are volunteering abroad with Peace Corps out of the more than 1,200 total alumni who have joined the organization.