Peace Corps applications are up 40%, and officials are saying it’s because of the “Obama Effect.” Enrollment itself is up 16% as well–7% of which is coming from people over 50, a demographic that typically accounts for only 4% of volunteers.

“Obama represents what Americans really want to be asked to do. We want to hear how important service is, whether it is domestic or international,” says acting director Jody Olsen. And with a campaign slogan banking on hope and affirming our collective ability as a nation to create change, it’s no wonder that such altruism and goodwill stem from this administration.

But others say that the rise in applications is due to the economic downturn in the country. With a dismal job market awaiting college graduates, the Peace Corps provides another two years of learning, training, and making a difference–all while allowing volunteers extra time to decide what exactly they want to do with their lives.

Alexandra Hodgkins, 25, of New Hampshire, is one such volunteer. Currently serving in Panama, she says, “This is a good way to test whether this is what I want to do.”

And with hope, when these idealistic young folks–as well as the older ones–return, there will be a warmer welcoming at the job market for them than there is right now.