Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) students chose to spend their spring break doing community service instead of traditional activities. They participated in five groups partnering with community agencies to determine what work needed to be done in their communities. 45 RIT students participated, completing an estimated total of 1,000 hours of service. The Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement at RIT has been coordinating alternative break trips since 2005. Aisha Faiq, a third-year global business management major from Arkansas, was part of a team that volunteered to help restore wetlands in New Orleans, while Onvida Serixay, a first-year computer engineering technology major from Buffalo, built bike trails alongside park rangers and members of the AmeriCorps program. By participating in these alternative break programs, RIT students not only help communities in need but also bond with new people from different majors and experiences. These volunteer trips create long-lasting impacts not only on the communities they serve but also on the RIT students who participate.
RIT Students Choose Community Service for Spring Break
A group of Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) students have opted for community service instead of traditional spring break activities. They participated in five groups, partnering with community agencies to determine what work needed to be done in their communities.
45 RIT students in total participated in direct service and learning alongside local leaders, completing an estimated total of 1,000 hours of service. The Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement at RIT has been coordinating alternative break trips since 2005.
Aisha Faiq, a third-year global business management major from Arkadelphia, Arkansas, was one of seven RIT students who volunteered to help restore wetlands in New Orleans that Hurricane Katrina ravaged in 2005. She was part of a team that navigated a canal and bayou with kayaks to help plant grasses.
On their trip, they learned about Hurricane Katrina, the history of the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans, and the importance of wetland restoration. They planted marsh grasses called bulrush in the bayou to help restore the wetlands to non-invasive plant species. They also planted different trees in a state park to help restore old sugarcane fields.
Four other groups participated in community service during their spring breaks. Grow Ohio Valley, focusing on food justice in Wheeling, West Virginia. Habitat for Humanity, focusing on equitable housing in Newland, North Carolina. James River State Park and Hungry Mother State Park, Virginia, partnering with the American Hiking Society and focusing on protected land policy.
In Hungry Mother State Park, Virginia, Onvida Serixay, a first-year computer engineering technology major from Buffalo, was on a team helping maintain hiking trails with the American Hiking Society.
Overall, these RIT students spent their spring breaks volunteering to help their communities and make a positive impact.
RIT Students Bond Through Community Service
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) students have found a way to spend their spring break doing something different by participating in alternative break programs. On these trips, they volunteer their time to help communities in need.
On her trip, Onvida Serixay, a first-year computer engineering technology major from Buffalo, built bike trails alongside park rangers and members of the AmeriCorps program. She had never been on a hiking trip before, and spending time outdoors was appealing to her.
For Serixay, the alternative break program also gave her an opportunity to spend her spring break volunteering with the RIT community. Spending time with other RIT students was also rewarding, and she enjoyed learning more about them during game nights.
Aisha Faiq, a third-year global business management major from Arkadelphia, Arkansas, was part of a team that volunteered to help restore wetlands in New Orleans that Hurricane Katrina ravaged in 2005. Faiq said her team went through many frustrating and evolutionary experiences, but the people around her made her learn and get through so much.
By participating in these alternative break programs, RIT students not only help communities in need but also bond with new people from different majors and experiences. These volunteer trips create long-lasting impacts not only on the communities they serve but also on the RIT students who participate.
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