Program Overview

Introduction to the Howard University Alternative Spring Break Program

The Howard University Alternative Spring Break (HUASB) program has been a prominent presence on campus since 1994, offering students an alternative means of reenergizing themselves ahead of the final month of the semester. The program is designed to be restorative, focusing on service and community engagement.

Program Overview

HUASB is an entirely student-run operation, where students have the opportunity to select the communities they will help, decide on the service projects, and organize the logistics on the ground. The program takes place during Spring Break but is a year-long project for those most intimately involved.

Program Goals and Objectives

The program aims to empower students to do good and feel good, while also training them for a life of leadership and service. HUASB is oriented around the rhythms of the academic year and in accordance with the students' needs at those particular times.

Service Projects and Initiatives

• Howard University Day of Service (HUDOS) is held annually in August at the beginning of the Fall semester, exposing incoming students to Howard's tradition of service.
• Service projects are also organized during Homecoming and around the holiday season.
• The program collaborates with over 80 sites across the district, introducing students to the communities that surround Howard.

Leadership Development

HUASB distinguishes itself from similar programs at other institutions through its leadership development component. The program is not just designed to empower students to do good, but also to train them for a life of leadership and service.

Impact and Outcomes

• Many students have been transformed by their HUASB experience, with some changing their career pathways as a result of the program.
• Students have been inspired to dedicate their lives to teaching, and some have even moved to different countries after being exposed to new communities through HUASB.

Social Justice Lens

Service at Howard often has a social justice lens, identifying communities not just in need, but also communities who have had a history of oppression and marginalization. The program tends to bend toward the arc of injustice, which is embedded in the university's DNA.

Conclusion

The Howard University Alternative Spring Break program is a unique and impactful initiative that combines service, leadership development, and social justice. By empowering students to make a difference in their communities, HUASB is helping to create a new generation of leaders who are committed to creating positive change in the world.