That sense of optimism can be felt in 麻豆原创 students, many of whom are forgoing sandy beaches during spring break this week in favor of participating in one of the 11 service activities of the a initiative, or working with independent groups.

Two years ago, finance and economics senior Casey Field was working with orphanages in Guatemala to help disadvantaged and disabled children. This year she will travel to the Dominican Republic with Project Esperanza, rebuilding more than 62 homes burned down by fire, working with local craftswomen, and leading sex-education classes.

“When presented with the opportunity to go, I immediately said yes,鈥� Field said. 鈥淏eing able to learn from a community of women in the DR, experience a new culture, and serve with so many fellow Knights is the most rewarding way I can imagine spending my spring break.”

Nhu Nguyen, a human resources major and SGA senator, is volunteering her time in Alabama packaging healthy meals for hungry children in the United States and refugees at the Syria-Turkey border as a part of Feeding Children Everywhere.

鈥淚 joined FCE for experience but I stayed for another semester because I believe in their mission,鈥� Nguyen said. 鈥淔or each ‘hunger project,鈥� we get to assemble between 30,000 and 100,000 meals for children, for both local and international food pantries. It is quite an experience seeing the direct impact of what we are doing.鈥�

It鈥檚 not just undergraduate students joining in the spring break volunteerism.

Graduate volunteers from the DeVos Sport Business Management program are headed to New Orleans as part of the , founded by the program director, Richard Lapchick.聽Fourteen students will help rebuild homes in the Lower Ninth Ward that were affected by Hurricane Katrina and assist with drywall, painting and flooring.

鈥淰olunteering allows me to leave my personal worries behind and see that there鈥檚 a greater need out there, and that I can make a profound difference in people鈥檚 lives,鈥� said graduate assistant Sara Sanchez.

Nine students were chosen to attend the Alternative Break Program trip: Julie Deslauriers, David Dill, Clarence Emile, Casey Field, Meghan Ginn, Yejide Giwa, Amy Maitner, Karen Rodriguez and Maya Rose.

Junior finance major Casey Field acted as student coordinator for the trip after going to Guatemala with the Alternative Break Program last year. This year she chose the social issue, destination, volunteer events and travel arrangements. She also organized fundraisers and educational discussions to inform the team before the trip.

“We got to see the first slave mart in Charleston and the brothel across the street, something that seemed so historic but presented an image of the 38.5 billion people still trapped in slavery,”

Field said. Field said the real issue in Charleston wasn’t just the trafficking. “The issue is children growing up in broken households, children that lack confidence, and children that lack mentors,” she explained. To help with this, they worked with a military-base youth camp as well.

“When we asked what we could do to help, one of the main responses was that we need to start tackling insecurities with children early in life, so we made sure to encourage all of the children we worked with,” said graduate assistant for the LEAD Scholars Academy, Whitney Watkins, who served as an advisor to the trip.

The participants also created something to bring home from the trip: a video that encourages others to stand up and end slavery. It can be watched here: