MB
Meredith Bryden
  • B.S. in Internat. Busn.
  • Class of 2017
  • Cheshire, CT

Cheshire Student among Group of Roger Williams University Students that Traded Sun and Sand for Service Learning on Spring Break

2015 Apr 2

For many college students, a week off in March means sunny, sandy Spring Break getaways -- but for a group of dedicated Roger Williams University students including Meredith Bryden from Cheshire, CT, the break from classes and assignments was an opportunity to give back, dive into outside-the-classroom learning experiences and have a little fun along the way.

More than 130 students, from undergraduate to graduate to law, participated in Alternative Spring Break trips, where groups of students -- often led by faculty or staff advisors -- work in teams to lead volunteer projects aimed at improving communities or assisting nonprofit organizations.

This year, students served local cities including Providence and Boston, traveled across the country to New York City, New Orleans and Tuba City, Arizona, and even headed abroad to countries including Peru, among others. Habitat for Humanity, Project Homecoming and Rebuilding Together are among the many partner organizations for which the students will volunteer to help address critical community issues from affordable housing to public health awareness.

Bryden was among 30 students that volunteered with Habitat for Humanity in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia to help build homes for low-income families in the community. The RWU student group performed a number of tasks including interior demolition, sheet rocking and porch building to help get the volunteer site leader house ready for occupancy.

The Alternative Spring Break program at Roger Williams University continues to grow each year both in size of the student groups and scope of the service-learning projects. For additional information on the program at RWU, please visit: http://giving.rwu.edu/priorities/special-campaigns/alternative-spring-break-programs.

About RWU: Roger Williams University, with its main campus located on the coast of Bristol, R.I., is a forward-thinking private university with 45 undergraduate majors spanning the liberal arts and the professions, where students become community-minded citizens through project-based, experiential learning. With small classes, direct access to faculty and boundless opportunity for real-world projects, RWU students develop the ability to think critically while simultaneously building the practical skills that today's employers demand. In the two years since launching its signature Affordable Excellence initiative, the University has established itself as a leader in American higher education by confronting the most pressing issues facing students and families i?? increasing costs that limit access to college, rising debt and the job readiness of graduates. In addition to its 4,000 undergraduates, RWU is home to more than a dozen graduate programs, a thriving School of Continuing Studies based in Providence as well as Rhode Island's only law school.