For Immediate Release

March 17 , 2008

students opt for alternative spring break trips

LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska Wesleyan students began their spring break on March 15.

For some that means sand and sun; for others it’s a trip home for some much-needed rest. But for some Nebraska Wesleyan students, it means a 4 a.m. departure time on a train to Chicago where they will put their current studies aside and take a big lesson in prejudice.

The Chicago Urban Cultural Immersion Trip will provide 10 students with the opportunity to attend theatre shows, visit cultural museums and experience ethnic food. But perhaps more importantly, they will immerse themselves among others of different ethnicities, social classes, family structures, and geographic regions. The goal is for students to return to campus and be able to articulate beliefs and patterns of action and interaction rooted in stereotypes of persons connected to cultures unlike their own.

“I took part in the journey to better understand who I am and to see if the trip would change my perspective,” said student Sadie Robinson, who spent last year’s spring break on the Chicago Urban Cultural Immersion Trip.

The trip is just one example of how many students are no longer opting for traditional spring break fun. Robinson said her decision to immerse herself in unfamiliar territory during her spring break was a relatively easy one. The single mother said the experience gave her perspective on her everyday challenges.

“There are many struggles that I have overcome and I no longer see them as obstacles in my life,” said Robinson. “I have learned that assumptions and biases get you nowhere.”

The students will keep a journal during their 5-day trip and will share their experiences with the campus upon their return.

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Twelve students will board a plane for a service trip titled, “Give Me Your Hand New York City.”

“New York City is an obvious choice for a theme on global citizenship, and a great place to find unique volunteer opportunities that otherwise wouldn’t be an option,” said Rachel Black, Americorps and VISTA coordinator.

Students will help the organization “Urban Farming,” which works to eradicate hunger while increasing diversity, motivating youth and seniors and optimizing the production of unused land for food and alternative energy. In addition, students will learn more about the United Nations through a tour and lectures to gain a better understanding of the United States’ role in the world.

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Twenty theatre students will get a feel for future acting careers when they visit New York City. They will attend three shows: Spring Awakening, August: Osage County, and Cat On A Hot Tin Roof. Also among the highlights will be an audition workshop led by the casting director for Cameron MacIntosh, one of the most successful and influential producers whose credits include Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, and Cats.

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Students aren’t the only ones immersing themselves in learning during spring break. Nine faculty will participate in “Faculty Immersion Experience: Serving Youth at Risk.” The one-day event will take faculty to Mad Dads, Boys and Girls Club, Lighthouse, El Centro de las Americas, Clyde Malone Community Center, and Victor E. Anderson Library.

“Our faculty will be exploring possibilities for civic engagement that could provide real-life educational experiences for their students while serving the needs of the community,” said Carol Leonhardt, Coordinator of Service Learning.

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