Students to serve communities during break

Alternative Spring Break, which University Ministry has been hosting for the past 20 years, is on its way to another year of charitable service in six cities across the country. From March 6-13, UDM participants will be in California, Ohio, West Virginia, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas, working toward a common goal of gaining a better insight into the world around them.

Last year's attendance reached almost thirty students, who travelled to five different states. This year there is more participation, as well as a sixth trip.

Drew Peters, campus minister, assists in running the program. He doesn't necessarily go as a participant, but does it as a way to set the table for students at UDM.

"We are trying to give students an opportunity to go out beyond themselves, get a new perspective, learn from the people they meet, touch lives and come back to Detroit with a renewed sense of purpose and a commitment to serve the community at UDM with knowledge of themselves," said Peters.

2009 was the first year Peters participated in Alternative Spring Break (ASB). He traveled to El Paso, Texas, focusing on the borders of immigration.

"We go into this experience and come out of it hoping that people see the reality of things and get a better idea of what people are going through," said Peters.

This year he is traveling to West Virginia and is going to be devoted to Nazareth Farm, where he and a group of students will be living out the message of the Gospel through the community, prayer and service.

Many students, including Theresa Skora, find it rewarding to travel to faraway places and give up their spring break.

"ASB was a better usage of my time, rather than sitting at home doing nothing," said Skora, a fifth-year architect student.

Skora has gone on an ASB trip three out of the five years she has attended UDM.

During her first year she traveled to Spokane, Wash., and worked at a soup and campus kitchen.

The last two years, Skora went to Mt. Pleasant, S.C., and did service in the United Methodist Relief Center, repairing homes and roofs.

Although she is not attending ASB this year due to preparations for graduation, Skora said, "I have gotten a bigger perspective of the world by going to other cities and not just staying in Detroit."

Participating in ASB provides students a chance to meet people they would not normally.

"I have made new friendships by traveling around the country," said Skora. "Going out of the box opened up the box for me."

The trips are paid for with participation fees, alumni and UDM employee contributions and fund-raising efforts.

Student Natalie DeBoer, 20, said the trip is very inexpensive for students.

Traveling as an incoming freshman, DeBoer went on the trip without knowing any of the fellow participants.

"Meeting new people was probably the highlight of my experience, besides the service I did," said DeBoer. "Going to New Orleans and working at a school and relief center opened up my eyes and I realized that there is still so much stuff to do for the aftermath of the hurricane that hit."

Given the opportunity to do service while having fun and living out the Jesuit goal of education - "men and women for others" - is the most rewarding thing students and staff take away from this trip, according to several participants.

"UDM architecture school helped design the relief center in New Orleans, which I found to be very cool," said DeBoer.

The program has grown with more students looking forward to serving other people in other places and bringing back what they learned to make UDM a better place to live, learn and have fun.