Rice Unconventional Wisdom

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Community Involvement Center

Mailing Address for Couriers:
Rice University
6100 Main Street, MS-200
Houston, TX  77005

Mailing Address for U.S.P.S.:
PO Box 1892
MS-200
Houston, TX  77251-1892

Campus Physical Location:
Rice Memorial Center
2nd Floor
Center for Civic Engagement Suite

service@rice.edu
Phone: 713-348-4970
Fax: 713-348-5885

Alternative Spring Breaks

springbreakWhat is an Alternative Spring Break (ASB)? An Alternative Break places teams of college students in communities to engage in community service and experiential learning during their summer, fall, winter or spring breaks. Students perform short-term projects for community agencies and learn about issues such as literacy, poverty, racism, hunger, homelessness, and the environment. The objectives of an Alternative Break program are to involve college students in community-based service projects and to give students opportunities to learn about the problems faced by members of communities with whom they otherwise may have had little or no direct contact.

Quick Links
2010 ASB Faculty/Staff Participant Information 2010 ASB Student Participant Information
2010 ASB Trip Descriptions Google Map of 2010 ASB Trips
2010 ASB Participant Application Process 2009 and Earlier ASB Trip Descriptions and Photos


2010 Faculty/Staff Participant Information

  • Are you a faculty or staff member at Rice University that wants to learn more about or become involved in an Alternative Spring Break trip?  Attend one or both of the sessions below to learn more about the program.

  • Faculty/Staff Participant Information Session - Learn the basics of the ASB program, the role of a faculty/staff participant, and talk to past faculty/staff participants about their experiences.

    • Tuesday, October 20, 2009 - 12:00-1:30pm - Rice Memorial Center (RMC) Miner Lounge
    • Please RSVP to service@rice.edu by 5:00pm on Friday, October 16, 2009.

  • Faculty/Staff Meet & Greet - Meet the Site Leaders that will be running the 2010 Alternative Spring Break trips, learn about the scheduled trips, and have a chance to talk one-on-one with the students that will be selecting faculty/staff participants.  Faculty/staff participants are chosen in the same selection process as student participants, but this event allows Site Leaders and faculty/staff applicants an opportunity to discuss the trips more in depth.

    • Thursday, October 22, 2009 - 12:00-1:30pm - Fondren Library - Kyle Morrow Room (3rd Floor)
    • Please RSVP to service@rice.edu by 5:00pm on Monday, October 19, 2009.



2010 ASB Student Participant Information

  • Understand the goals and requirements of the ASB program, meet the Site Leaders, hear about the planned trips, and learn how to apply for the 2010 ASBs.

    • Monday, October 19, 2009 - 4:00-5:30pm - Rice Memorial Center (RMC) Sammy's
    • Tuesday, October 20, 2009 - 4:00-5:30pm - Rice Memorial Center (RMC) Sammy's



2010 ASB Trips Descriptions



Google Map of 2010 ASB Trip Locations



2010 ASB Participant Application Process

  • Follow these instructions to join as a member of the OWL-Space collaborative site:
    1. Go to OWL-Space (https://owlspace-ccm.rice.edu).
    2. Click on "LOG-IN using NetID" and enter your credentials.
    3. Click on the "Membership" tab in the left margin.
    4. Click on the "Joinable Sites" link next to "My Current Sites" header.
    5. Under the "Worksite" list, find the title "ASB '10" and click on the link "Join" located just below it.
    6. Click on the newly formed tab (ASB '10), located next to the "My Workspace" tab at the top of the page.

  • Once you have been added as a member, you will have access to the application, which is under the "Tests & Quizzes" tab on the left sidebar. You may save your progress at any time during the application process and return to complete it any time before the deadline.