Community Engagement at the Holden Center
The Alternative Break Committee

What is the Alternative Break Committee?
The Alternative Break Committee is a student leadership team that assists in developing and coordinating the Holden Center's Alternative Breaks program. As members of the Committee, students are able to have a direct impact on the future success and direction of the AB program while gaining and developing skills in program development, outreach and marketing, resource development, project management and event planning. To contact the Alternative Break Committee, please contact us at altbreak@uoregon.edu.

 If you would like to get involved with the Committee, apply here!

2013-2014 Alternative Break Committee
Coming Soon!


Meet last year's Alternative Break Committee (2012-2013)
ABC Co-President
       SARAH GREWENOW                                                                                         
  I am so excited for the 2012-2013 Alternative Break Committee! I have gone on two previous Alternative Breaks, to the Dominican Republic and to Honduras, and am so committed to making the Alternative Breaks program amazing. The trips I participated in changed my outlook on life and what I want to accomplish and I hope to create amazing experiences for other people by being the Co-President of the Committee. I am entering my senior year as a Human Physiology major and I plan to make the most of my little time remaining at UO. I cannot wait to watch this program grow and become everything that it is meant to be. I come from a very large, loud, southern family so come over to my house for fried chicken anytime! I love playing volleyball in my free time as well as going on hikes and boat rides. I look forward to more Alternative Breaks in the future as well as a lifetime of service abroad.

    DARYL MOGILEWSKY                                                                                                                                                                        
  My name is Daryl Mogilewsky and I am returning for a second year as an Alternative Break Committee Co-President. I am a double major in International Communications and Romance Languages. In the spring of 2011 I went to New Orleans on my first Alternative Break trip where we focused on racism, poverty, and disaster relief. In the winter of 2011, I traveled on a two week trip to Peru where our team put together eco-friendly toilets to improve sanitation and to promote sustainability. The Alternative Break experience has helped shape not only my college experience, but it has also helped to shape me as a person.  I have a strong passion for this program and I look forward to watching it develop in the years to come!

Outreach and Marketing
     ROBERLY COTTON



When I heard about the Alternative Break Program, I knew immediately that I needed to get involved. I value global education and cultural understanding and there is no better way to learn than being immersed in another culture. I have experience the life changing impact that service-learning can have and I believe that it is something that everyone here at the University of Oregon should be a part of. I am excited to create additional awareness on campus so more Ducks can be involved and share this wonderful learning opportunity. During spring break of 2012 I went to Honduras to help conduct research and build stoves for a non-profit organization called Stove Team International. This trip was eye opening concerning the separation between the wealthy and the poor and the lack of resources in underdeveloped countries. A twenty minute truck ride from the tourist city of Copan brought us to a village where there was no electricity and two water spigots for 300 villagers. It was amazing to learn the many health and environmental benefits there were from cooking over an ecocina instead of an open fire. I am from Portland, Oregon and have been an avid swimmer and skier my whole life. I am currently studying Business Administration at the University of Oregon with a focus in Marketing, a minor in Spanish and a certificate in Global Management. I ran my first half marathon this spring and hope to run a full marathon when I graduate next year. I enjoy traveling to Spanish speaking countries and I have been to Mexico, Spain, Honduras and Guatemala.

ADAM HRYNIEWICKI


 I joined the ABC because of the extremely positive experience I had on my 2012 ASB trip this year. The AB program is unparalleled as far as other organizations on campus go, and I really wanted to contribute to it and help give others an opportunity to have an awesome service-learning experience. I believe that individuals on the ABC are in a unique position to directly contribute to the growth and longevity of the AB program. With that in mind, I am very excited to go to every corner of campus to represent and promote the AB program to the best of my ability. I also think that being a part of the ABC is a great opportunity to network and establish relationships with like-minded individuals on campus! Last spring break, I went on my first AB trip with StoveTeam International to Honduras, which was quite an amazing, eye-opening and profound experience, to say the least. The exposure truly broadened my perspective on international social justice and public health—it was incredible to see first-hand the impact that a simple device such as a stove could have. The people we worked with were so warm, friendly and hospitable, and I felt like I returned to the U.S. with 25 great new friends here at the UO. I think that being on the outreach and marketing team is perfect for me because my passion for the experience that I had will allow me to spread the word to others in an energetic and enthusiastic way which will hopefully garner more interest in the program. I am a Human Physiology major from Santa Ana, California hoping to go into the medical field. I am currently obsessed with George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” series and cooking new things. I really enjoy traveling, running, skiing, bodysurfing, coffee and learning about the human body! Plans for the summer include taking classes, camping in Yosemite, visiting my sister in San Francisco and getting lots of UV rays!   

KELLY RODGERS
 I had such an unforgettable and impacting experience on my Alternative Spring Break trip to Honduras and Guatemala and I fell in love with the program. This trip truly opened my eyes to how optimistic and humbling people can be, regardless of living situation.  I was excited to stay involved with ASB and the Alternative Break Committee was a wonderful opportunity to do so! I am excited to expand and improve on an already amazing program. I think that we can really build up ASB to be something bigger than it already is. More trips, more participants, larger projects, and ultimate longevity are just a few aspects I would love to expand upon this year. I am from Sacramento, California, I couldn't be happier to get out of the heat and into some good 'ole rain. I love to run, sleep, go on long drives, listen to country music, and make lists. Trips to Sunriver, OR with my family are my favorite!

 QUINN MACLEAN

I joined ABC because I was intrigued in the opportunity of learning about a social issue and what proactive steps we can all take to get towards finding a solution or least become more educated. I am excited about all the trips we have to offer and sharing my experiences as well as other experiences with those who are possibly interested and broadening the amount of people to get involved with these sort of trips. I went on the Los Angeles trip of empowering youth. The impact of this trip cannot be described. I learned about the troubling effect of gangs and how an education board may have the best interest of the youth but their programs and practices are not helping the youth out at all. It is really troubling to see how much our youth has to endure these days but the best way to be involved and be proactive is to be knowledgeable and spread the knowledge around. I hope to make Alternative Breaks a program that is recognizable across campus. I am an easy going guy from Fallbrook, CA. I love the San Diego Padres, sports, Saturday Night Live, the show Suits, Franklin and Bash are all part of my interests. I am a member of Delta Tau Delta fraternity and currently am the recruitment chair. I love to play golf in my free time. I am a sports business major and a history minor. I have ambitions of owning my own company or working in marketing in the future. I love meeting new people so get to know me!

Fundraising
 AMBER PROVOST
 

I am excited to be on the Alternative Break Committee to promote the opportunity for students to travel to the places they want to see positivity and movement in. I want people to see growth within themselves. While I have not yet had a change to go on an Alternative Break trip, I hope to make it affordable for students, known throughout campus and for more people to want to go and get involved. I am from California and I love running, volleyball, yoga, kickboxing, and surfing. I am always active and love to talk with people and learn from them. I am very open minded, positive and love making new friends.  

KIRSTEN RASMUSSEN

I joined the Alternative Break Committee to learn more about the Alternative Break program, mainly all of the planning and work that goes into putting on the amazing experiences. I am excited to get more involved and learn more. I participated in the 2012 Alternative Spring Break to San Diego to learn about immigration. It showed me that it is a major issue in this country and that a lot of people do not know anything about it. I hope to promote awareness and get more people involved. I am from Gaston, Oregon, a small town that practically no one has heard of.

KATHERINE SAWYER

I joined the Alternative Break Committee because I love Alternative Breaks! I very much believe in service-learning and I wanted to work on getting UO students involved in this wonderful program. Last year, I served on the2011-2012 ABC fundraising committee and I have participated in two Alternative Break trips in the past.  I am very excited to collaborate with all of the other subcommittees in the coming year, as well as plan and execute some large-scale fundraising opportunities. My freshman year, I participated in the Alternative Spring Break to San Francisco and learned about HIV/AIDS and urban poverty. This past winter break, I traveled to Peru and helped construct sustainable waste disposal units. I am very passionate about Alternative Breaks and plan to continue participating for years to come! I am a Sociology Major and a double minor in History and Communications. I love to run, hike, play tennis and soccer and travel.

Trip Logistics
WILLIAM BOURGET

My name is William Bourget and I am a junior at the University of Oregon. I am currently working towards a double major in Political Science and Ethnic Studies. These studies have been a huge influence on my involvement with the Alternative Break program. I have always been a political nerd, but through Ethnic Studies I developed a passion for civil rights, grass roots organizations, and cultural awareness. My participation in the Alternative Break Committee is fueled by these three interests along with my own Alternative Spring Break experiences. In 2011, I had the opportunity to take part in the Alternative Spring Break to New Orleans focused on aiding with poverty, racism, and disaster relief and in 2012 I participated in the Alternative Spring Break to Washington DC focused on education reform and politics. The trips were incredible and have changed the way I view myself, the world and volunteer work. 

ALICIA LY

Hello! My name is Alicia and I am from Long Beach, California.  A few of my hobbies include hiking and camping, playing tennis and spending time at the beach.  At UO, I am a double major in art and biology. I joined the ABC because I had a great time on my first alternative break, so I wanted to help others have excellent trips as well. I hope to help make all of the future trips as fun, action-packed and educational as possible! I went on an alternative spring break in 2012 to Honduras, where the group worked with StoveTeam International.  We helped improve the StoveTeam factory, which provides efficient cooking stoves for local communities.  We also worked directly with a community in Guatemala that had received efficient stoves. I learned so much about efficient cooking methods and Honduran culture, while meeting some wonderful people on the trip.  It was amazing!  I am really excited to meet new people on the ABC and become more involved in the AB program.  I think the AB Program is a great organization and I want to contribute to its development as a positive service-learning program. 

Service-Learning
KURT AHRENS
 

After two years of participating in Alternative Breaks as a Site Leader and a participant, I wanted to join the Alternative Break Committee to contribute to bringing such great experiences to students by putting together great trips centered on the values of service-learning. This year, I hope to continue to work on pre-trip curriculum that is applicable to all trips. I also hope to build onto the workings of post-trip activities so teams can be encouraged to work on their trip focuses once back in Eugene. In 2011 I was a participant of the Sustainability Pacific Northwest trip. We were the only trip that year that was not centered on just one city but rather the region of the Northwest and focused on sustainable farming, recycling and the harmful effects of invasive species. The trip provided an opportunity for true hands-on learning about the NW in a fun, non-classroom environment. In 2012 I was a Site Leader for the ASB Umatilla trip, where our group worked with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation as volunteers at their annual youth basketball tournament that brought tribes and other teams together from all over the US.  The experience taught me a great deal about leadership, was an incredible experience and I learned a ton from it. I am a Senior working on my final year at the University of Oregon studying for a Major in Geography and Minors in Business and Political Science. I am from the Los Angeles area. Hobbies include reading, running and enjoying the outdoors.

TONY MINAGLIA

 Originally, I wanted to get involved with a group of individuals whose goals were to not only to be of service to the community, but also to challenge themselves as people to step out of their comfort zones and grow as individuals. I found this within the Alternative Break family as we all are trying to improve each and every day. I’m looking forward to enhancing the experience of future students who participate in Alternative Breaks. Last winter, I had the privilege to travel to Peru and build ecologically friendly bathroom to prevent further contamination of their water supply. Here, I had the eye-opening opportunity to challenge myself while also building relationships with local Peruvians through service projects. I want the Alternative Break family to continue to live by its mission statement through improving the quality of trips, learning experience of participants, and strengthening communities. 



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