Volunteer as a Participant

Alternative Break Experiences focus on exploring a range of issues including - but not limited to - environmental conservation, education, socioeconomic inequality, healthcare, and more! Alternative Break participants travel to communities all over the country and internationally.

Interested students must be willing & able to commit to the full duration of the experience and any pre-trip meetings organized by the trip’s Experience Leaders:

• Alternative Weekend Experience: Friday, October 4th - Sunday, October 6th, 2024
• Alternative Winter Break Experiences: Wednesday, January 8th - Saturday, January 18th, 2025
• Alternative Spring Break Experiences: Saturday, March 15th - Saturday, March 22nd, 2025.

We are offering Alternative Break Experiences domestically and internationally. For specific trip information, visit our Current Experiences page.

Students will participate in deliberative and reflective dialogues, direct service, and meaningful education, where they will exchange, evaluate, and take action towards different ideas and approaches that challenge specific social, political and economic structures of our domestic & global communities. Direct service with community partners will demonstrate how students can turn their knowledge into action in safe, responsible, and sustainable ways.

The AB program is completely alcohol- and drug-free. Participants will abstain from any alcohol or drug use during all AB related events, activities, and trips.

Trip costs typically range from $150 - $1500. Program cost is all inclusive of lodging, meals, transportation, and education activities. For the specific cost of each trip visit our Current Experiences page. Scholarships and payment plans are offered on a needs basis.

Trips are open to any undergraduate or graduate student who wants to explore community development, civic engagement, local issues, leadership, and service! 

Alternative Break Experiences are all in-person, though pre-experience meetings can be virtual if that is what works best for each teams’ schedules. Individual trips can vary based on the specific activity and location. Trip descriptions may contain additional or more specific information regarding accessibility. If you have questions or concerns about your ability to participate in any of the experiences, please contact us at alternativebreaks@umd.edu.

What You Can Expect as a Participant:

• Active engagement in personal reflection, listening, small group dialogue, and small group activities.
• Thought-provoking questions and dialogue around social issues.
• Making connections between social issues and your academic, personal, professional, or civic life.
• Engaging in direct service alongside community partners. 
• Participating in meaningful reflections to understand the impacts of community service on social justice.
• Identifying at least one action step to take towards a social issue you are passionate about.

Benefits of Being a Participant:

• Connect with a community of peers from across campus and create new friendships. 
• Develop and practice personal and group leadership skills such as active listening, reflection, critical thinking, communication, as well as civic engagement through in-person service.
• Learn how to effectively engage in constructive dialogue.

Registration/Scholarship Application Deadlines: 

• Alternative Weekend Registration/Scholarship Deadline: September 15th
• Alternative Winter Break Registration/Scholarship  Deadline: October 4th
• Alternative Spring Break Registration/Scholarship Deadline: November 8th 

Step 1: Review the Current Experiences we are offering this year! You will register for the specific trip you want to go on to immeditately reserve your spot. 

Step 2: Sign up for your trip using this form. 

Step 3: At the time of registration, you will be responsible for filling out a Participant Agreement, Liability Waiver, and Health Information forms. 

Step 4: Registration will not be complete until you submit the $75.00 non-refundable deposit OR indicate that you would like to pay the deposit with a payment plan or apply for a scholarship. 

Step 5: Once your complete your registration, your spot will be reserved on the trip that you selected.

To keep our program accessible and affordable for all Terps, we do offer scholarships if you are in need of financial assistance in order to participate in the Alternative Breaks Experiences. The option to apply is a part of the registration form for each trip, to ensure that your spot is reserved. 

Based on need, we will be able to cover full or partial experience registrations for students. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but be sure to apply for the scholarship by the stated deadline, otherwise your spot will be released. 

Participants are required to pay a non-refundable deposit of $75.00 at the time of registration. If you cannot pay the deposit at the time of registration, you will have the option to select a payment plan or apply for a scholarship. 

Participants will submit the remainder of the trip fees at least one month before their experience departs. If a participant fails to do so, any outstanding charges will be debited to their UM student account.

If a participant needs financial assistance in order to pay for any portion of their AB experience, they should select the option to apply for a scholarship on the registration form.

If a participant does not attend their experience, they will not be able to get a refund for the $75.00 deposit and will be responsible for any other charges already accrued by the AB office on their behalf (i.e. flight reservations, program fees, etc.). In addition, family members, friends, or other individuals contributing to trip expenses will be unable to receive refunds for their donations.

If for some reason, a participant cannot attend your experience, they must let the AB office know immediately and fill out a payment appeal to prevent further charges from being added to your balance.

 

If the trip you would like to register for is full, you can indicate that you would like to be on the waitlist. Should a spot open up, students will be contacted in the order that they put themselves on the waitlist.