Alternative Breaks (AB) is a program run by the Community Engagement Collective that sends small groups of UT students to outside communities around the United States to help individuals grow as leaders and practice active citizenship through immersive service experiences. Alternative Breaks is great for students who are passionate about becoming active citizens in their community while spending their holiday break on a productive and interactive service-learning experience.
History of AB
The Alternative Break (AB) program started at the University of Texas at Austin in the 1990s through a former program within the Longhorn Center for Community Engagement. For several years, trips brought together UT students to unique locations while participating in week long community service activities. Groups of 10-14 UT student participants worked closely with community agencies on specific issues ranging from literacy, poverty, hunger, homelessness, and the environment.
In 2004, the decision was made to suspend the Alternative Break program due to growing travel restrictions after 9/11. Nearly a decade later, in 2014, the Alternative Break program saw exciting new growth and was able to restart! In the 2014-2015 school year, AB sent 22 students into the city of New Orleans to serve. In the 2015-2016 school year, the program expanded even more with two new cities (San Francisco, CA and South Texas) as trip sites. AB took a break during the pandemic but we returned in 2022 with trips to New Orleans and our first international trip- Mexico City!
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