The mission of the Alternative Breaks program is to promote service-learning through direct public service with regional, national and international communities to heighten social awareness, enhance personal growth and advocate lifelong social action.

    The program is intended to provide students with an opportunity to engage in reciprocal service-learning in communities with whom they otherwise may have had little or no direct contact with, and to learn about a variety of social issues, such as urban and rural poverty, racism, hunger, homelessness, the environment, domestic violence and juvenile delinquency. Students are immersed in culturally enriching experiences that challenge them to think critically about the social and environmental issues that shape our society.

    The program has grown from one trip of 13 students who worked in Welch, West Virginia in 1989 to twelve national and international trips in 2006, with approximately 100 students in the program. The program's growth is attributed to several factors:

• The program creates and supports opportunities beyond the classroom to enhance the students' academic programs.

• It provides opportunities for students, faculty and staff to participate together in research, public service and extracurricular activities.

• It also underscores the responsibility of students to avail themselves of all learning opportunities in the classroom and beyond, on campus and within larger global communities.

• The Cornell Public Service Center is poised to provide leadership to the university in this area. The Center has built a reputation with faculty, staff and students as a department committed to service-learning and social responsibility. In addition, we have built relationships with non-profit organizations nationally and internationally, allowing us to offer a broad range of service-learning opportunities.