alternative spring break
Do something different with your break this year...
Alternative Spring Break at UIS is a week-long service experience that takes place during Spring Recess, usually in mid-March. Students travel off-campus (usually somewhere warm!) and have the opportunity to make an impact with a national reach.
Click here to see photos from last year's Alternative Spring Break to Memphis, TN.
How does it work?
Alternative Spring Break at UIS has been student-driven from the beginning. Students are responsible for the following:
- Choosing the location of trip
- Organizing all the logistics of travel to and from the site
- Raising the necessary funds
- Setting the rules that govern application requirements
The Alternative Spring Break Student Organization is in charge of these responsibilities. (So if you are interested in planning the trip, you should contact these two organizations.) The Volunteer Center acts as an advisor to this group and helps secure additional funding when necessary.
How do I apply to go on ASB?
Applications are usually available at the beginning of Fall semester, with an application deadline in early to mid November. Participants must be students at UIS with good academic standing (graduate and part-time students are quite welcome).
You also have to be committed! As noted above, this trip is run almost entirely by students, and that means you. Participants are expected to:
- Have a positive attitude
- Abide by all UIS student policies and regulations
- Attend ASB meetings and at least two fund-raising events
- Serve on one committee
- Participate in occasional surveys
- Pay fees to cover any expenses not covered by fundraising
Fees can vary from year to year since they are dependent on how much funding is raised from outside sources. Past fundraisers have included things like bake sales, candy sales, dances, letter writing campaigns, and talent shows.
Do I have to be a member of the Alternative Spring Break student group to go on the trip?
Nope. All UIS students are eligible to go on the trip. However, only members of Alternative Spring Break get to make the important decisions about the trip, so it might be in your best interests to join.
Besides, these groups do lots of other fun things and service activities besides this trip, so they're great places to make friends. Check out the Office of Student Life (or just send us an e-mail) for the latest information on joining. You probably already know a couple people in these groups.
Questions? Want to help the students out?
If you have any questions about ASB, please e-mail us at volunteer@uis.edu.
You can also donate funds to help make this trip a reality for more UIS students. Click here to go to a special ASB support page at the Office of Development.
The support page still has the info up for the trip to Galveston, TX, but you can still use it to give to the students going on the 2012 trip. Thank you so much for your support!
