An estimated 23,000 Americans volunteered to serve in the U.S. Peace Corps in 2015, a 32 percent increase from the year before and the highest level of applicants since 1975, The Washington Post reports.

“What these application numbers tell us is that Americans today are as passionate about service as they have ever been, and that they are clamoring for the opportunity to make sustainable change in communities around the world,” Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet said in a statement.

"Today’s Americans, from all walks of life, are ready to put their skills to work making a difference, and when given the opportunity to make their mark on the world, they will raise their hands to serve in record numbers.”

The Post notes that the renewed interest in the overseas service organization comes after extensive changes were made to the application process. Now, applicants are not only allowed to choose their favorites among 65 countries, but they're also able to select a specialization once deployed.

“The goal of our application reforms was to break down barriers to service for a new generation of Americans who are interested in not just imagining a better world but rolling up their sleeves and doing something about it, and the response has been astounding,” Hessler-Radelet said.