AG
Allison Gianoni
  • Interior Design
  • Harrisburg, PA

Allison Gianoni Volunteers through Alternative Spring Break

2013 Apr 9

Allison Gianoni of Harrisburg, PA was among seventy-nine students at The University of Akron who used their Spring Break getaway to give back. Gianoni is majoring in Interior Design.

This year's spring break trips took students to North Carolina, Virginia, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee for projects that ranged from serving the homeless in soup kitchens to shoreline restoration. Alternative Spring Break, organized by serveAkron, is designed to raise awareness of social issues through educational and volunteer-focused opportunities. The low-cost trips provided a three or five-day service experience to teams of 10-50 students.

Before heading out on their trips, students met twice for informational meetings and teambuilding. During the trips, each group worked in the community during the day and in the evening, the group gathered for reflection, teambuilding experiences and fun. Students who went to Mississippi visited the Hurricane Katrina Memorial while those in Tennessee hiked Ruby Falls. Spring breakers in Virginia and North and South Carolina dined at a local restaurant; and those who served in Mississippi and Georgia enjoyed a night of bowling.

Service projects included painting, cleaning, organizing, minor repairs, construction projects, brush removal, environmental conservation, shoreline restoration, working with children, serving the elderly and the homeless. Students learned new skills and put their classroom knowledge to work to make an impact.

Here's what some of the participants said of their Alternative Spring Break:

  • "The best part about this experience was meeting new people, getting to know myself better, and seeing how much we can impact in a short amount of time."
  • "The best part about this experience was the University of Akron students!"
  • "The best part of this experience was regaining a positive attitude and being able to spend my time somewhere it is needed and I can contribute positively."

The University of Akron offers more than 300 associate, bachelor's, master's, doctorate and law degree programs - with accreditations by 35 professional agencies. With nearly 30,000 students and more than $65 million in research expenditures, UA is among the nation's strongest public universities focused on innovation, entrepreneurship, and investment in community and economic growth. Programs are targeted to diverse groups of learners, including full-time, part-time and online students, veterans, and adults returning to the classroom. The distinctive Akron Experience enhances postgraduate success through internships and co-ops, academic research (both undergraduate and graduate), study abroad, on-campus student employment, and service projects. For more information visit www.uakron.edu.