While many Hokies take spring break as a chance to relax and catch up before the second half of the semester, others devote their week off school to helping others, both at home and abroad.
VT Engage sends students to the Dominican Republic each year, focusing on “empowering local communities in the Dominican Republic to challenge the status quo and improve standards of living.” They also send students to Hurley, Virginia, for the week to work with the Hurley Community Center to repair homes.
Additionally, Hillel at Virginia Tech sends students to New Orleans (Louisiana), and Newman Outreach Project has Alternative Spring Break Trips to Chicago (Illinois), Flint (Michigan), Lima (Ohio), Louisville (Kentucky), Mound Bayou (Mississippi), Sandy Relief (New Jersey), Alderson (West Virginia), and Cholula (Mexico) to help serve the various communities. Wesley will send around forty-five students to Edenton, North Carolina, this year to assist with tornado recovery and outreach, and has previously sent students to Charleston (South Carolina), Nashville (Tennessee), Swan Quarter (North Carolina), and Brooklyn (New York).
Many students also seek out their own form of alternative spring break, such as the Mountain Justice Spring Break in Natural Tunnel State Park, or locally, volunteering at food kitchens and schools around southwest Virginia.
These students are certainly embodying Virginia Tech's motto Ut Prosim (That I May Serve) by dedicating their spring breaks to helping others and improving the world around them.