Student Life

Welcome to Alternative Breaks!

The COVE’s Alternative Break Program sends students on trips to domestic and international destinations to engage in community service and deepen their understanding of pertinent social issues through interaction, collaboration, and experiential learning while training students as leaders and advocates for social change. The COVE encourages students to take an active role in initiating and planning trips and expects them to actively reflect on their experiences.

Alternative break trips are not discrete one-week experiences. In addition to committing to a work-intensive week, students are responsible for actively fundraising for the trip as well as showing dedication to developing a long-term relationship with the involved community.

Students are also responsible for bringing awareness of pertinent issues back to Colgate. Civically-engaged students interested in effecting sustainable local and global change through a continued commitment to the COVE and ongoing service should apply.

"Despite my vigorous and demanding course load at Colgate, I found that my one week gardening and teaching in Neyba was the most effective learning experience of my year." -Caitlin Baber '10

"Being actually involved in Hurricane Katrina truly made me respect the complexity of the situation. I felt as if being able to work with people in New Orleans helped me understand their position and opinions in a manner that I could not get through any other source." -Giselle Winchester '10

Want to get involved with the organizational planning of one or more of these trips?  Participate in post-experience seminars, fundraising, and advertising for other Colgate students?  Join the Disaster Response Team by e-mailing cove@mail.colgate.edu!