Alternative Spring Break Attracts Support, Interest University-wide
It began as a grand idea—the prospect of a 90-person camp in Gulfport, Miss., uniting Penn State students from across the Commonwealth around a national cause, Katrina Relief. This March, the idea comes to fruition when the alternative spring break program at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, becomes a University-wide opportunity to help residents clean up and rebuild after Hurricane Katrina.
“For years, the Center for Service Leadership at Penn State Behrend has organized off-campus service trips to various locations throughout the country, with the most popular being the alternative spring break trips,” said Craig Berger, coordinator of residence life, and one of nine who traveled to Gulfport for the college’s 2007 trip. “After last year’s experience, we knew we wanted to go back, but we also wanted to expand the program.” And they have.
To date, 72 students, faculty and staff from five Penn State campuses have signed up for the trip, which is being organized by Penn State Behrend. The program, scheduled for March 9-14, can support 75 to 90 total Penn Staters.
Twenty-eight students and seven staff members comprise the 35 slots reserved for Penn State Behrend, which puts the college at capacity. In addition, Penn State Brandywine, Penn State DuBois, Penn State Harrisburg and Penn State Lehigh Valley are also participating in the trip with, respectively, five, six, 10 and 16 members of their campus communities attending. This includes about one faculty or staff member for every four students.
Each campus’ Student Activity Fee subsidized the travel and lodging for its respective participants so that each student pays only $300 for the weeklong trip. Each campus’ number of spots was determined by their respective budgets. While Penn State Behrend currently has a wait list, interested students at other Penn State campuses can reserve their spot until the February 8 deadline.
Penn State Behrend has received support from units and individuals alike for this year’s alternative spring break, contributing both time and resources. Dawn Blasko, associate professor of psychology for the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, presented information about post-traumatic stress disorder; Jonathan Hall, senior lecturer in physics for the School of Science, spoke about his time in the Peace Corps; and Maintenance and Operations helped organize “Tool Time,” a program designed to expose participants to various construction skills. The final session of “Tool Time” will be held prior to the trip.
In addition, the Janet Neff Sample Center for Manners and Civility contributed funding and, just this week, a Penn State Behrend alumnus donated $1,000 to the trip after learning about it.
Finally, Red Cross volunteers relayed what they witnessed as first responders immediately after Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast.
“We want to do our best to prepare everyone for what they might expect to see,” said Kelly Shrout, interim associate director of student affairs, who also attended last year, “but also for what we hope they gain from this experience.”
To register for this year’s alternative spring break or for more information, students at all Penn State campuses are encouraged to contact Christa Morris, acting coordinator of community service and the Smith Chapel at Penn State Behrend, at cdb120@psu.edu as soon as possible.
Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, is a comprehensive residential college offering 32 baccalaureate, six associate, four pre-professional and two graduate degree programs with 22 minors to more than 4,400 students. Focused on providing a student-centered environment, Penn State Behrend is the link that connects its students to a major research and land-grant institution on a campus enriched by more than 110 clubs and organizations, 21 NCAA varsity teams, 19 intramural sports and modern facilities. For more information, visit behrend.psu.edu.