Service Trips
Eagle Immersion Alternative Breaks Mission:
The Civic Engagement Center at National Louis University challenges students to make a lifelong commitment beyond their time in education to servant leadership and active community citizenship, through the participation of short-term weekend and week-long service opportunities known as Eagle Immersion. Centered in social and environmental justice, Eagle Immersion breaks operate through education, community based service, and reflection in order to address pertinent social issues with student participants. Through opportunities to learn, serve and reflect, participants are provided space that fosters personal growth and leadership development while promoting radical advocacy and love.
Interested in trying out a leadership role as a Site Leader?
Check mark it in your application for the chance to receive half off your AB payment!
Total cost of trip covers all food, transportation, housing, and free day activities - come to CEC volunteer info sessions to learn more!
Alternative Break FAQ's:
What is an Alternative Break?
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Alternative breaks give groups of students (usually 10-12 per trip) an opportunity to engage in an immersive community service volunteer experience over an extended period of time. Alternative breaks may occur during students’ fall, winter, weekend, or summer school breaks. Alternative breaks are also drug and alcohol-free experiences, with a heavy emphasis on group and individual reflection.
Alternative breaks experiences can challenge students to deeply and critically think about and address serious social and environmental topics they are interested in exploring further. It is our hope that these experiences help to push participants outside of their comfort zones while having the opportunity to meet fellow Eagles. The CEC looks to bridge this experience with post-break activities to help participants to continue their activism on campus, in their own communities, and in partnership with other communities.
- A typical week looks like two days of travel, 4 days of service, and 1 group community exploration free day. Participants will work together on a group schedule to cook low-cost meals for each breakfast and dinner, and will pack lunches to take to their service site each day in-house. During the group exploration, volunteers participate in a group dinner off-site together that is included in the total fee of the experience. Service days typically require 4-6 hours of work with an evening group reflection activity. Participants will be required to complete pre-trip educational activities, and will come together post-trip to rejoin and reflect on their experience together afterwards at NLU.
What is the payment process for the opportunity?
- Participants for alternative breaks are required to fund their own trips. One $50 down payment is required upon acceptance into the program to hold your spot on the trip, and students are given a payment plan required to complete two weeks prior to departure. Fundraising opportunities are created together by all participants under supervision of the program coordinator to help eliviate the additional costs. Students will recieve a full financial responsibility policy before accepting their position into the program.
- The total cost of the trip covers all transportation, housing, and food fees. Additionally, it provides funds for group activities during the community exploration day programmed within the break. Students will only be asked to pay for souvenirs and additional snacks they wish to purchase during the experience.
More questions can be answered by attending our Volunteer Info sessions listed under events at the Civic Engagement Center's organization on Eagle Life. Become a member today to view!
Former Annual Washington D.C. Student Leadership Trip:
Attendees visit the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, National Museum of African American History, National Museum of American History, Holocaust Memorial Museum, lay flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery, and meet congressional staffers at the U.S. Capitol to learn about government.
Background on Service-Learning Trips at NLU
In 2007, NLU's Service Learning Team had organized groups of students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of NLU to assist in rebuilding New Orleans one school at a time. The NLU-NOLA project committee has partnered with KIPP Central City Academy, the Samuel J. Green and Arthur Ashe Charter Schools, Royal Castle Kids Child Development Center and Happy Times Preschool to help improve and organize their facilities.
Additional past service-learning trips include:
2018 (April 16): Early Childhood Advocacy Day in Springfield, IL
Eleven (11) members of the NLU community went to Springfield, IL to join the Ounce of Prevention Fund in collaboration with Healthy Families Illinois to experience grassroots advocacy firsthand. They received pre-lobbying training and were given time to speak with Illinois legislators on key early childhood issues. The group shared their experiences at the 3rd annual Service-Learning Symposium at the Chicago campus.
2016 (July 24-30): Brooklyn Theater Arts High School in Brooklyn, NY
Brooklyn Theatre Arts High School (BTA) is a small, strong learning community dedicated to college readiness and the study of theatre arts. Theatre isn’t just about acting, directing, and playwriting. It involves technical aspects like lighting, sound, set design and requires abilities in organization, finance, and public relations. BTA helps students identify his/her interests, develop more advanced skills and helps build aptitudes that students need for lifelong learning. They must think analytically, communicate clearly, solve problems, and collaborate with peers on complex projects to reach common goals.
We helped create space(s) that are art and student spaces. These spaces serve as a safe, inviting spaces where students are able to enjoy school in a non-traditional way. In addition, we supported the school with various needs as summer school ended and educators began to prepare for the new school year.
2015 & 2016 (August): Trip to the Vision of Sci Academy in New Orleans, LA
In 2016, NLU team worked to create a community garden by developing an open area into a garden for learning and community development. In addition, the team helped educators prepare for the first day of school by assisting in classroom, organizing libraries and completing various other tasks that helped make the new school year a success. The team also gained an appreciation for New Orleans people, culture and history.
In 2015, NLU service team assisted community organizers, who work with children and teachers at local schools in the Treme Parish, Louisiana. Members of the team are professionals in the field of education, as well as volunteers dedicated to quality educational experiences for children. The Treme Community Center serves both children and adults in this historic neighborhood, known for being the birth place of Jazz Great, Louis Armstrong.
2015 & 2016 (June): Genola Community Center & Head Start School in Genola, UT
Genola, Utah, lies just 60 miles south of Salt Lake City amid a stretch of land surrounded by foothills, marshy regions and mountain-fed lakes. Federal Head Start childcare programs serve children all year round. In the summer months, migrant farm workers arrive in Genola to work the summer harvest. Genola Migrant Head Start Center cares for the children of the migrant workers. The school serves a bi-lingual population. Genola Migrant Head Start Center cares for children from newborn to 5 years of age.
In June 2015 and then again in June 2016, NLU service team worked at Genola Community Center and Head Start School in Genola, Utah. We worked with the teachers, who serve the children of the summer migrant laborers, by helping them organize books and materials and tending the the outdoor space.
2009 (March 25-29): Trip to Washington DC with Public Policy Student Organization
Today's Mind's, Building Tomorrow's Future: Students, friends and faculty attended an Illinois Congressional Delegation and stayed to tour the White House and meet with their Representatives in Congress. Dr. Richard Longoria of the Public Policy Department also lead discussion briefings with the group to offer valuables insights and enhance tours.
