Beginning in 2018, the Honors College began traveling to New Orleans for a service trip. Every Spring, 20 Honors students and two faculty members participate in the Honors College Alternative Spring Break trip to volunteer in and explore the city of New Orleans. To date, we have contributed over 2,500 service hours which translates to a value impact of over $75,000. The trip is student-funded, but generous support from community donors and from the UWM Foundation helps make the experience affordable.
Students and faculty who have chosen to participate in the trip share that the volunteerism is moving and inspiring, the experience increases camaraderie between students and faculty, and the travel encourages personal growth in unexpected ways. See below for more testimonials about the impact the trip has on the students and how it empowers them to act locally.
2023-2024 Alternative Spring Break Information Sessions
Caleb Pacheco
The trip was one of the most memorable events in my life. It was a privilege to go to New Orleans with this group. At first, I thought it was going to be an ordinary service trip where you just do your work and move on with your life, but let me tell you, it was far from that. From the first day of the trip, every person was welcoming, motivated, and brilliant. As I started to interact with my fellow students, I felt a sense of belonging and a real connection. I can confidently say that I made new friends that I would never have met had it not been for this amazing trip. As an Honors College student who heavily focuses on school, this trip provided an outlet for me to learn in a new way while developing friendships with other students. I encourage all Honors College students to join this trip; you will not regret it!
Liberty Ansorge
Carl, the owner of an urban garden in which we spent a few days, said to us when we arrived and when we left that he came in gratitude for and appreciation of our work. This statement has stuck with me. Whether by supporting local New Orleans businesses, attending, and learning about important cultural events, or simply taking public transportation instead of being carted around, we sought to enter the community not as saviors, but as humble visitors, eager to support, but most importantly, grateful to have been welcomed into this space with open arms.
We learned about gratitude and appreciation, too, as both are owed to the resilient people of New Orleans. Personally, I will be forever grateful to have been able to be a part of this experience and hope we can create others like it on our campus and in the greater Milwaukee community. The work doesn’t end once we leave New Orleans. There is much more to be done here in our own home and I cannot wait to be a part of the change.
Vai Triggiano
The Alternative Spring Break trip was like nothing else I’ve ever been a part of. It was the perfect balance of work, fun, and learning. We were so immersed in the community of New Orleans it felt as though the work we were doing was going to give right back to us. I also feel more connected than ever to the Honors College after attending the trip. I flew to New Orleans with 20 strangers and flew back to Milwaukee with 20 friends. The work that we were doing was impactful to the communities as well as within ourselves and I now feel a new sense of inspiration for ways I can help out my own community in Milwaukee and my hometown. I highly recommend this trip to any student who loves to give back to their community and is open to immersing themselves in a new culture and community.