Alternative Spring Break is a departmental program sponsored by the Office of Student Engagement and Multicultural Affairs that provides service opportunities for students who successfully apply for participation at a variety of sites across the eastern United States. The ASB program is a week-long program held in March that gives students the chance to gain personal and professional growth through direct volunteer experience and place-based learning.  

The particular trip that I participated in during March of 2014 was to Washington D.C. to various locations that pivoted on the theme of food justice in the urban environment. Not only did I dedicated my time to these organization, but I was able to learn a lot about food access and justice in cities in Western countries. 

During Spring Break of 2015, I had the opportunity to serve as a Participant Leader on the same trip to Washington D.C. where I coordinated meals, communicated with site advisors, led group bonding activities, maintained a group budget, and led debreif sessions. This year I was also able to network with IC alumni that work with a few of these organizations, gaining a lot of their unique perspectives and advice. 

Both of these experiences have inspired me to begin coordinating an Ithaca College chapter of the national organization Campus Kitchens. This group works to make the most of underutilized resources from dining and catering services, producing meals and providing them to locations throughout a given community. There is certainly such a need in the Ithaca community, and I am currently in the process of working with a group of dedicated students in order to meet that need.