Come and join us and make a difference!
Who We Are
SMU Alternative Breaks is a student organization housed in the Community Engagement and Leadership Center within Suite 200 in the Hughes Trigg Student Center. SMU Alternative Breaks was founded in 1987 and has enjoyed a wonderful time at SMU. We are a group of active citizens committed to making positive social change and ending social injustice across the country and the world. Through direct service, quality education, and impactful reflection, we create active citizens to create change necessary for a better tomorrow.
What We Do
We do Alternative Breaks! Alternative Breaks take teams of 6 to 11 participants to a community in need in order to do direct service with a quality organization. Participants will partake in direct service – meaning they will have access to community members as well as perform meaningful and sustainable service projects. We educate participants beforehand on the trip’s social issue. Participants will partake in impactful reflection during the trip in order to consider their role within the issue and how we may address it moving forward. Finally, participants will be reoriented to their own communities in order to continue their active citizen journey. We provide world changing service and a life changing experience.
Our Leadership Role
Every Breaker is a leader! Our participants are social change leaders developing into active citizens that will further social justice. As far as positions within Alternative Breaks, participants may decide to apply to be a Site Leader after they participate in a trip. Also, participants may apply to join the Executive Board after participating on one or more trips. The Executive Board consists of student leaders who guide the overall program. Finally, the program is led by a Student Director who has participated on multiple Alternative Break trips and has demonstrated a commitment to the movement’s success.
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