The Student Experience Office at Carleton University has offered the Alternative Spring Break (ASB) program to students for 10 years now. The ASB program provides students with the opportunity to travel nationally or internationally during the winter reading week to engage in community service work with a diverse array of communities. For example, in February 2020, students travelled to five different destinations in the United States, Costa Rica and Guatemala. Each trip was focused on a specific theme including immigration, education, food security, emerging markets and sustainability.
Alternative Spring Break gives all Carleton students, regardless of year and program, the chance to step outside of Carleton’s campus and learn about the social, environmental, and economic challenges impacting other communities, while building and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships with community members.
Whether there is a business student learning about the fair trade of coffee beans, a student in Environmental Studies witnessing the effects of climate, or an Indigenous Studies student reflecting on the impact the coffee industry has on ancestral lands, there is something for everyone. This opportunity focuses on current social and environmental issues that all students, regardless of faculty, can learn about and bring back to the classroom.
Through interacting and learning from our partner communities, students will enhance their intercultural competency and expand their understanding of current global issues. ASB alumni have consistently expressed improvements in personal development, interpersonal skills and real-world connections to their academic discipline as a result of their participation in the program. With your help, more passionate students and future leaders will be able to participate in the Alternative Spring Break Program.