Our Crowdfunding Groups
The Alternative Breaks Team wants to thank everyone for your continued support of our cause! We only have a couple more days left in our campaign!
Here is another highlight of some of our site leaders and the trips they will be leading!
Site Leader Spotlight
Ambar Melendez-Perez - Graduate Student in Natural Resource Ecology and Management
Hi! my name is Ambar Melendez-Perez; I am a graduate student and am excited to co-lead the upcoming trip to Memphis, Tennessee. This trip will be my first with Alternate Breaks, and I look forward to making an impact wherever this service takes us. Alternate Breaks has been a great fit for me as a leader because I felt accepted, educated, and empowered throughout the experience.
Social justice is an essential part of my research here at Iowa State, and now I have finally felt like my impact here can be more than just publishing science. I have already seen this organization's impact on students at ISU and communities outside. I hope we can keep contributing to these life-changing experiences through Alternate Breaks.
Hannah Lanphere - Sophomore in Animal Science
Hi, my name is Hannah Lanphere, and I am a sophomore studying animal science with a goal of becoming a production animal veterinarian. I will be co-leading this upcoming spring break trip to Memphis, TN!
This will be my third trip with Alternative Breaks and my second time as a site leader. Some of my experiences on these trips have included planting trees to aid in coastal wetland restoration, relocating over 1,000 native Louisiana irises from an industrial site, sorting surplus medical supplies for hospitals overseas, and packaging food through Feed My Starving Children. Alternative Breaks has been an amazing opportunity for me to serve communities outside my own, build lasting relationships with other ISU students, gain leadership skills, and learn more about the important issues the organizations we work with are seeking to address. I am so excited to see what my next adventure to Memphis will bring!
Stay tuned for more site leader spotlights!
We have 2 days left in our fundraising campaign! Any and all donations are greatly appreciated. Thank you for supporting this amazing program!
The Alternative Breaks Team wants to thank everyone who has donated to our cause! With your help, we've raised $1,175 so far. We are so grateful for your generosity and support!
This week we wanted to highlight some of our site leaders and the trip they are leading this spring break!
Site Leader Spotlight
Monica Pennewitt - PhD student in Plant Pathology, Entomology, and Microbiology
Hi! I am Monica Pennewitt, a PhD candidate in the department of Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology at ISU. My research focuses on the management of nematodes and other pathogens in row crops across the Midwestern US, with impacts that can stretch abroad.
This spring break I will be co-leading the Moab, UT, trip that will be conducting work at Arches National Park! I love traveling, spending time in nature, visiting national parks, and all things outdoors. This trip is an extremely exciting opportunity for me to give back to the national park system and nature that I love, while leading and learning from 10 other students.
Ridwan Abdi - Senior in Mathematics and Secondary Education
Hello, my name is Ridwan Abdi, and I am a senior majoring in Mathematics and Secondary education. I'm a lifelong learner born and raised in Kenya. I have always been passionate about education and its power to open doors and help people reach their goals. Education has been a cornerstone of my life, and I believe in its ability to foster creativity, build confidence, and provide opportunities. My goal is to help others realize their potential and succeed in their pursuits. To that end, I am working towards an Education and Math degree, aiming to become an educator.
During this Spring break, I will be co-leading the Moab, UT, trip that will be conducting work at Arches National Park, focusing on the environment. I am excited about this opportunity to give back to the environment and better understand environmental conservation. I look forward to developing my leadership and collaboration skills to help my team succeed in this mission. I also look forward to learning more about the environment and its challenges. With the knowledge I gain from this experience, I hope to be able to contribute to the conservation of our planet in the future.
Stay tuned for more site leader spotlights!
We have 14 days left in our fundraising campaign! Any and all donations are greatly appreciated. Thank you for supporting this amazing program!
Donating $50 can help fund an educational activity for an Alternative Breaks team, such as visiting a local museum to learn more about the community they're working in and the social issues they face.
Donating $150 can cover the cost of one full registration fee for a student participating in a Fall Alternative Breaks trip.
Donating $250 can cover the cost of one full registration fee for a student participating in a Spring Alternative Breaks trip or the cost of lodging for two Fall Alternative Break participants.
Donating $500 can cover almost a week's worth of groceries for one of our teams or cover the registration fee for two spring participants.
Donating $1,000 to Alternative Breaks could help cover the cost of lodging or transportation to one of our service sites.
Donating $2,500 could cover all of the expenses for a Fall Alternative Breaks trip.