Alternative Spring Breaks in 2013

Apply for a Trip

You can apply online for any of the alternative breaks listed below.

If you have questions, contact Rachel DiDomizio at rdidomizio@colgate.edu or 315-228-6877.

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Community Building with Oglala Lakota Nation

Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota
March 9-15
Cost: $600

Re-Member is a non-profit organization that works with the Oglala Lakota Nation on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in southwestern South Dakota. Established in 1998, Re-Member seeks to improve the quality of life of those living on the reservation through relationships, shared resources, and volunteer services.

Volunteers throughout the country travel to Pine Ridge to rebuild relationships, homes, and lives of those living there. A week there will help the organization develop and enlarge its growing circle of advocates who are willing to stand in solidarity with the Lakota people on Pine Ridge. Volunteers will help rebuild and repair homes in this impoverished community, while learning about the Lakota culture. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about our country’s treatment of the Native people in the past years and repair the broken pieces of this relationship.

Social Enterprise

New York City
March 10-15
Cost: $700

This trip is designed to introduce students to the increasingly important corporate concepts of social innovation, social intrapreneurship, and social entrepreneurship directly from those working in the companies employing these concepts in their corporate strategy. This is the notion of using for-profit ventures to positively impact social issues.

We will meet with leaders at several companies in New York City who are immersed in these concepts, including Chase and Google. Prior to leaving, we will engage in readings, discussions, and lectures on the topic to inform the agenda for the week. We will be staying at a hotel and eating at restaurants that use these concepts in their organizations. Additionally, we will be inviting alums in NYC to have dinner with us to address these topics. If you want to make change in the world through a for-profit career, this trip is perfect for you.

Relationship Building with Pathfinder Village

Edmeston, New York
March 11-15
Cost: $50

Pathfinder Village is looking for a few volunteers to spend the week on their campus working with their residents. Pathfinder is a community that serves individuals with Down syndrome through a day school as well as evening programming. They would like their residents and day guests to have the opportunity to get to know some folks from outside their small community.

Students selected to participate may be asked to do a day or two of work (manual labor) in the Village and then spend a day or two at the school working with the students and enrichment/recreational staff.