The Alternative Break program under the Center for Social Impact at Utah Valley University is an immersive learning opportunity where students travel to a new community and engage with a social problem through one or more of the six pathways of social impact. We carefully curate each of our trips to help students develop empathy, examine their assumptions, explore social problems, and develop patterns of involvement in their own communities. Historically, Alternative Breaks have focused on direct service, and have now expanded to include other strong educational components such as systems thinking and equity-centered design thinking. Trips in the past have included exploring indigenous people’s voting rights in Navajo Nation, homelessness in Portland, and environmental sustainability in the Redwoods.
Social Impact Day Trip
About the Break This trip will be a one-day gathering that will consist of meeting local community
partners and learning about how they fall in line with our Six Pathways of Social
Impact. These include Direct Service, Community Engaged Learning & Research, Social
Entrepreneurship & Corporate Social Responsibility, Policy & Governance, Community
Organizing & Activism, & Philanthropy.
Travel, lunch, and dinner will be provided for participants. This trip will be free of charge to all participants.
We will meet at UVU at 8 AM and then be back at UVU by 9 PM at the latest. The following
questions are to collect some basic information and to learn more about what you know
about Social Impact.
About the Partners We will work with six different partners for this Alternative Break from Utah County up to Salt Lake County.
Dates: October 19 (Thursday)
Cost: Free
Application Status: Open - Apply Here!
Liberation Activism & Chicano History San Diego, CA
About the Break Dive into Chicano history as communities maintain identity and approach liberation amid rapid gentrification. We'll visit various symbolic murals and landmarks in San Diego led by Professor Leandra Hernandez while we study systems that cause harm and redesign potential interventions through two pathways; Community Engaged Learning and Research and Community Organizing and Activism.
About the Partner More information will be posted soon.
Dates: March 9 (Saturday) - March 13 (Wednesday)
Cost: $300
Application Status: Open until 11:59pm on February 9, 2024 - Apply Here!
Understanding the Prison Industrial Complex & Rehabilitation Communities Los Angeles, CA
About the Break Study the Prison Industrial Complex and the long-lasting effects it has on BIPOC communities led by Center for Social Impact Program Director, Jamey Williams. We'll visit various Black-owned bookshops and community organizers that focus on supporting vulnerable community members through three pathways; Direct Service, Social Entrepreneurship, and Community Organizing and Activism.
About the Partner More information will be posted soon.
Days: March 9 (Sunday) - March 13 (Wednesday)
Cost: $300
Application Status: Open until 11:59pm on February 9, 2024 - Apply Here!
