Alternative Breaks
Alma College Alternative Breaks provide transformative opportunities through direct, hands-on service, education, and reflection that seeks to meet the needs of our local, national, and global community.
No matter what your interest is, there is an Alternative Break opportunity for you.
On Alternative Break, you’ll spend time doing service work while traveling outside the community. This may involve community engagement in a variety of settings, like:
- Environmental projects
- Working with animals
- Involvement in disaster relief efforts
Whatever you’re doing, you’ll have fun while reflecting on what is important to you in life.
Discover a World of Opportunities
Discover a World of Opportunities
Multiple Alternative Break opportunities are offered to students during academic breaks in October, December, February, and April. These service experiences are available at affordable costs for travel, housing and food, with some scholarship opportunities available.
Explore the program
Explore the program
- Most service teams include 8 to 20 people.
- Each team has a staff advisor and student leaders. Prior to departure, the entire team meets regularly to better understand what to expect on the trip.
- Not surprisingly, Alternative Break opportunities have been well received by Alma College students and staff. The program has grown from a single trip of 20 participants in 2003 to over 200 participants each academic year.
Elevate your experience
Elevate your experience
In addition to learning about social issues, Alternative Break participants experience the local culture at their destination. Each service opportunity includes time to sight see, enjoy a local restaurant, or relax with friends. Alternative Breaks encourages full engagement through living and eating simply, limiting technology and being alcohol- and drug-free.
Being able to take the information about circuits that I’ve learned in class has been very beneficial to reinforce my understanding of how circuits work.
Being able to take the information about circuits that I’ve learned in class has been very beneficial to reinforce my understanding of how circuits work.