Baldwin
Wallace
University
Alternative
Breaks,
the
program
that
encourages
students
to
travel,
learn
and
serve
during
time
off
from
the
classroom,
has
been
named
National
Program
of
the
Year
by
Break
Away,
the
national
Alternative
Breaks
association
for
colleges
and
universities.
In
choosing
BW
for
the
top
national
honor,
Break
Away
noted
that
BW
Alternative
Breaks
has
almost
tripled
the
size
of
the
program
in
the
past
three
years,
with
student
and
staff
leaders
working
"tirelessly
to
create
opportunities
to
meet
the
demand
and
interest
from
students
while
remaining
committed
to
the
principles
of
a
quality
experience."
Mystery
locations
focus
applicants
on
causes
"The
selection
committee
said
the
BW
program
stood
out
for
our
strong
student
leadership
model,
local
engagement,
strong
partnerships,
robust
pre-trip
curriculum
and
our
focus
on
social
justice
topics
rather
than
locations
in
our
application
process,"
said
Christy
Walkuski,
director
of
BW's
David
&
Frances
Brain
Center
for
Community
Engagement.
"We
maintained
high
participation
rates
in
2017-18
even
though
students
applied
for
100
percent
of
our
trips
based
solely
on
their
interest
in
a
particular
social
justice
topic
and
only
learned
where
they
were
going
once
selected,"
Walkuski
explained.
Creating
a
"culture
of
active
citizenship"
Over
the
course
of
2017-18,
some
130
students
participated
in
13
student-led
Alternative
Break
trips
-
including
one
international,
one
Cleveland-based
weekend,
one
Thanksgiving,
four
winter,
five
spring
and
one
over
summer
break.
Participants
contributed
nearly
3,800
hours
of
service
in
12
cities
focused
on
a
wide
range
of
issues
including
suicide
prevention
and
awareness,
poverty
and
homelessness,
environmental
justice,
refugee
resettlement,
LGBTQ
issues,
and
arts
and
social
change.
Break
Away
said,
"Led
heavily
by
students,
BW
Alternative
Breaks
creates
a
culture
of
active
citizenship
not
just
among
participants,
but
throughout
the
entire
campus.
Each
year,
student
directors
establish
a
strong
vision
for
their
leadership
team
while
also
developing
bold
strategies
for
community-building
among
trip
leaders
and
participants."
Still
growing
"This
program
is
something
that
is
really
special
-
it
is
connected
to
so
many
different
communities
on
this
campus,
and
we
strive
to
provide
every
opportunity
we
can
for
students
to
get
involved,"
said
BW
student
director
Peyton
Flasco,
who,
along
with
student
director
Emma
Anderson,
was
individually
recognized
as
part
of
the
Break
Away
award.
The
program
is
not
done
growing
yet.
There
are
18
trips
planned
for
2018-19,
as
BW
hosts
alternative
breaks
over
fall,
Thanksgiving,
winter
and
spring
breaks
as
well
as
various
weekends
throughout
the
year.
