Alternative Spring Break | Student Leadership and Involvement

Alternative Spring Break (ASB) is an experiential learning opportunity that promotes service-learning and community building. Students participate in education, direct service, and reflection in order to become life-long active citizens.

Student Leadership and Involvement, as well as some of our student organizations, host Alternative Spring Break trips each year. If you, or your student organization, are planning an Alternative Spring Break trip please let us know how we can help!

ASB through Student Leadership and Involvement is open to any student in good academic and conduct standing at the University. You do not need previous experience in service or on campus to participate. Each trip seeks to have students from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences.

In the future, we are looking for new and unique opportunities to combine the spring break experience with service learning. If you have an idea for what our next spring break trip should entail, or you are interested in attending an alternative spring break trip, please let us know by emailing huskyhelpers@mtu.edu.

Alternative Spring Break 2023

Student Leadership and Involvement is excited to announce our return to two Alternative Spring Break trips this year - one domestic and one international.

Applications for the 2023 Alternative Spring Break trips are now closed and both trips are at full capacity.

Domestic Trip - Indigenous Sovereignty and Horticulture

In collaboration with the Highland Support Project and Partners in Service, this year's domestic alternative spring break trip will travel to Pinetop-Lakeside, AZ to work with the Apache Nation on the White Mountain Apache Reservation. Their programs are primarily based around struggles for food, water, and housing sovereignty. Our group will specifically assist with agricultural projects pertaining to the tribe's horticulture and produce enterprise, Ndee Bikiyaa, including the planning and building of infrastructure such as raised garden beds and cisterns.

This trip will depart on Friday, March 3, 2023, in a Michigan Tech 15-passenger van. Participants will stay in an Airbnb Cabin near the volunteer site. Most meals will be prepared and provided by the group itself. Cultural immersion experiences, educational opportunities, and group reflection will be incorporated throughout the week. The group will depart from Arizona on Saturday, March 11th and return to campus the following day.

This trip can accommodate up to nine students. Due to support from the Student Activity Fee, this trip will only cost $350 per student which includes all food, travel, accommodations, and program materials.

International Trip - Community Development

In collaboration with the Manna Project International, this year's international alternative spring break trip will travel to the semi-rural Chillos Valley, which is southeast of Quito, Ecuador to work with community organizers in a focus area selected by the group. All programs seek to "create communities of young leaders that help break the cycle of poverty in underserved communities around the world." Our group will be able to select a focus area that aligns with our groups interests. Focus area options include: education, health, sports and recreation, business, agriculture, and environment.

This trip will depart on Saturday, March 4, 2023, and fly to our destination for a Sunday arrival. Both lodging and food will be provided by our host organization. Cultural immersion experiences, educational opportunities, and group reflection will be incorporated throughout the week. The group will depart from Ecuador on Saturday, March 11th and return to campus the following day.

This trip can accommodate up to eleven students. Due to support from the Student Activity Fee, this trip will only cost $825 per student which includes food, travel, accommodations, and program materials. Any individual expenses related to passports or other travel necessities will be the responsibility of the student.

"Whether or not you think you will enjoy the service, you should still go! You will make so many good memories, and learn so much, that it will all be worth it in the end!"Lucy Straubel

Past Alternative Spring Breaks

ASB 2022

Michigan Tech partnered with One Heartland in Willow River, Minnesota for our 2022 Alternative Spring Break trip. Since 1993, One Heartland has been creating life-changing camp experiences for youth facing social isolation, intolerance, or serious health challenges. Their camps provide a welcoming, bully-free environment where children, youth, and young adults can feel completely accepted for who they are—often for the first time in their lives.

I love being able to help people, and I felt like I did that on this trip. We could see the improvement and the impact we were making daily, and that was really nice to see. I also loved all the tasks we did, building things, painting walls, moving wood, and cleaning are all very fun and helpful.

Claire Nicholas

The group smiles as they ride in the van on the way to One Heartland

ASB participants on an outing in Minneapolis.

Claire and Vanessa stack firewood to be used at camp

The group poses in front of the One Heartland fireplace

Three participants build lockers for the staff lounge

Some major takeaways I had from this trip were to be apart of more service and volunteer opportunities in the future, the True Colors camp and everything that it embodies (free space for LGBT+ children and the importance of that in today's communities), the impact people can have on you from spending just a week with them, how big the Mall of America actually is, and to take advantage of all the opportunities that may come to you even if they may be nerve-racking.

Riley Krause

ASB 2020

Michigan Tech partnered with NetWork Volunteers and Long Way Home to send students to Houston, TX and Comalapa, Guatemala over Spring Break.

Students traveled to Houston, TX to engage in urban gardening and revitalization. They worked with Plant It Forward Farms, Westbury Community Garden, and Target Hunger with their weeding, planting, and preparations.

The students that traveled to Comalapa, Guatemala to further the building of an off-the-grid earthquake resistant home utilizing green building techniques.

ASB 2019

Michigan Tech partnered with NetWork Volunteers and Long Way Home to send students to New Orleans, LA and Comalapa, Guatemala over Spring Break.

Students traveled to New Orleans, Louisiana spending the week working on various projects from garden beautification to musical revitalization. During their time volunteering, the group was able to deposit over 100 bags of mulch, move over 200 pounds of recycled metals, plant 15 trees, and sort 1 TON of Mardi Gras beads to be reused.

The students that traveled to Comalapa, Guatemala spent their time constructing an off-the-grid earthquake resistant home utilizing green building techniques.