Far from lolling on a beach during spring break, 80 College of Charleston students will leave March 2, 2013 to put their hands and minds to work addressing important humanitarian and educational issues in two states and five countries.

The College’s Assistant Director of Civic Engagement Maggie Szeman says, “The majority of our students don’t want an education limited to the lecture hall. They want to be agents of positive social change. Through their service in communities both domestic and abroad, students are able to apply the theories of the classroom and experience the reciprocity of service first-hand through transformative immersion trips.”

In Biloxi, Miss., 10 students will embed themselves in the community and host conversations on the causes and effects of poverty. Working with Twelve Baskets Food Bank and the local homeless shelter, students will provide service and gain hands-on experience.

Sustainability is the focus of nine students while they spend a week in Asheville, N.C. where they will live the interconnectedness of the environment through river clean ups, organic gardening and studying climate change’s effects on the mountains.

Orphan children in Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic learn English as a second language when 10 students volunteer with Outreach 360. Students will engage with children and experience life and culture in the community.

Ten students will spend their spring break in Antigua, Guatemala where they will to teach important health concepts to people in the community and learn about the history of the country by experiencing historic, archeological sites.

Seven students from the Honors College will travel to Tegucigalpa, Honduras where they will work with the Alonzo Movement, which is fostered by LAMB. LAMB was founded by College of Charleston alumna Suzy McCall ’79, an English major. The students have spent the semester learning about asset-based community development and will use their education to develop new initiatives in Honduras.

Students participating in the Bonner Leaders four-year civic leadership and development program will be working in San Juan, Puerto Rico to address youth education and the environment.

Read about freshmen studying abroad through the First Year Experience Abroad program.

Students will also be volunteering during May 2013 for projects in Zakynthos, Greece and La Push, Wash. are planned.

For more information, contact Szeman at 843.953.0810.