Applications are now open: Apply Here!
Winter Alternative Breaks Application Deadline is Friday September 13; and Spring Alternative Breaks deadline is Monday September 30.
For the 2024-2025 academic year, we have 10 Alternative Break programs offered, all of which are listed down below with information on types of service and the social justice topic that a specific program is involved in. Before applying to be a participant on an Alternative Break, we highly recommend reviewing Components of an Alternative Breaks and checking out our Frequently Asked Questions page.
The participant cost listed for each program includes housing, transportation, and food. We seek to make the participant costs as affordable as possible for all applicants. Participants that are selected for a program will receive a form to apply for financial support if needed.
Thank you to UConn Storrs USG (Undergraduate Student Government) for their financial support to help significantly reduce costs for our UConn Storrs undergraduate participants. Note: For regional campus students, we are working with regional campuses to try and make fees comparable to UConn Storrs students. Please reach out to Staff Coordinator Carl (carl.soares@uconn.edu) about estimated costs.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Damini, Student Coordinator of Alternative Breaks: uconn.co.altbreaks@gmail.com.
Winter Alternative Breaks
Community Development (Costa Rica)
Community Development (Costa Rica)
Throughout this 10 day service-learning experience, participants will work alongside local community members to support local infrastructure projects and community initiatives. Participants will engage in education and reflection focused on topics such as social mobility, sustainability, the impacts of policy on the community and more. By the end of their experience, participants will develop skills to be more engaged citizens in their communities.
Dates: January 8- January 17, 2025
Student Program Director: Izzy Helgeson
Location: Los Jasmines, Costa Rica
UConn Storrs Undergrad Participant Cost: $620
Information Session: Community Development Info Session Video, and Community Development CR - Info Session Slides
Community Sustainability
Community Sustainability
During this 8 day service-learning immersive experience, participants will develop meaningful relationships with community members and work closely alongside the community members to support local community initiatives
Participants will engage in immersion, education and reflection focused on topics such as social mobility, housing security, sustainability, food security, and more. We will also look deeper into Puerto Rico’s relationship with the United States and the impact of US policy on the community. By the end of their experience, participants will develop skills to be more engaged citizens in their communities.
Dates: January 10-17, 2025
Student Program Director: Krithika Santhanam
Location: Puerto Rico
Storrs Undergrad Participant Cost: $650
Information Session: Information Session Video; Information Session Slides
Spring Break Alternative Breaks
Community Development (Cosby, TN)
Community Development
Over this week-long service learning experience, participants will immerse themselves and learn about the Appalachia region and culture. They will also dig deeper into the complexities of access to resources in a rural community, serving with the organization Sunset Gap to support ongoing community initiatives. Participants will also look deeper into poverty, its root causes, and its impact on health and education, as well as how stereotypes. Through their service, participants will create tangible connections with community members and will continue to develop as community collaborators.
Dates: March 15-22, 2025
Student Program Director: Matthew Curley
Location: Cosby, TN
Storrs Undergrad Participant Cost: $360
Food Systems
Food Systems
During this service-learning experience, participants will seek to understand food systems and their intersections with poverty. Through working with establishments such as homeless shelters, food pantries, farms, and social work centers, participants will support communities with local community initiatives aimed to address food insecurity, learn strategies to combat food insecurity, and advocate for food justice in their own communities.
Dates: March 16- 22, 2025
Student Program Director: Isha Gandhi
Location: New Haven, CT
Storrs Undergrad Participant Cost: $80
Healthcare Access and Education
Healthcare Access and Education
During this service-learning experience, participants will seek to understand health access disparities and the impact of the social determinants of health. Through their work with healthcare-related organizations, participants will learn about health equity and develop skills that allow them to become advocates in their own communities.
Dates: March 16-22, 2025
Student Program Director: Saachi Shah
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Storrs Undergrad Participant Cost: $160
Native American Cultural Preservation
Native American Cultural Preservation
During this service-learning experience, students will have the opportunity to learn about cultural preservation and engage in activities to support the community. Students will foster our long-standing relationship with the Cherokee Nation and as they engage in meaningful interactions, they will gain insights into the profound significance of cultural heritage, awareness and sensitivity. Upon their return, participants will be able to utilize their skillset to continue as advocates for local tribes and contribute to creating a more inclusive and respectful society that values and supports the traditions of Native American communities.
Dates: March 16- 22, 2025
Student Program Director: Lydia Nyarko
Location: Oklahoma
Storrs Undergrad Participant Cost: $320
Racial Justice
Racial Justice
Through this service-learning experience, participants will enhance their knowledge, awareness, and skills around racial justice and to become stronger advocates for racial equity. Students will gain awareness of communities affected by racial injustices through their service and develop skills that they can use to further advocate within their own communities.
Dates: March 16-22, 2025
Student Program Director: Foluke Akinkunmi
Location: Washington, DC
Storrs Undergrad Participant Cost: $180
April Weekend Alternative Breaks
Environmental Conservation
Environmental Conservation
During this weekend-long service, participants will come together for an immersive experience to learn and practice strategies to combat environmental issues. In the past, the group has worked on beach clean-ups, removal of invasive species, and caring for native ecosystems. Participants will return with a more thorough understanding of ecosystems, environmental issues, and sustainability in their community.
Dates: April 11-13, 2025
Student Program Director: Tanvir Siddique
Location: Groton, CT
Participant Cost: $25
Housing Security
Housing Security
This weekend service-learning immersion trip will be focused on housing security and the impact it has on the individuals within and around the community. Through service at establishments such as homeless shelters and soup kitchens, participants will be able to learn about the intricacies of housing insecurity and how to advocate for individuals affected by this issue.
Dates: April 11-13, 2025
Student Program Director: Neil Komma
Location: New Bedford, MA
Storrs Undergrad Participant Cost: $40
HIV-AIDS Awareness and Advocacy
HIV-AIDS Awareness and Advocacy
During this service-learning experience, participants will be working with local organizations committed to supporting those diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. In addition to learning about HIV/AIDS from a scientific standpoint, there will be a focus on the social and cultural implications and broader inequities in healthcare. Students will gain awareness of communities affected by HIV/AIDS through their service and develop skills that they can use to further advocate within their own communities.
Dates: April 11-13, 2025
Student Program Director: Natasha Khetan
Location: New York City
Storrs Undergrad Participant Cost: $50