Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching & Service
Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching & Service

Alternative Breaks Program

Hoyas in West Virginia with COAP on an immersion
Hoyas in Detroit on immersion
Hoyas on a hillside at sunset on an immersion
Hoyas in front of a mural on an immersion
Hoyas in a forest on an immersion
Hoya on an immersion

Welcome!

Through the Alternative Breaks Program (ABP), we believe that everyone has a role to play in building a more just world. We believe this work is urgent and that the work of “immersion” extends far beyond a “trip” or “travel.” To more deeply engage in social justice issues through a semester-long social justice immersion including Fall and Spring Break trips this year, check out the descriptions and information below!

FAQs
Immersion Descriptions
2025 Immersion Participant Application

Mission

The Alternative Breaks Program (ABP) brings together Georgetown community members in order to foster intersectional solidarity and inspire lasting commitments to service and social justice. ABP trips engage with diverse and vibrant communities through direct service, immersion, and reflection in a substance-free environment. By creating a space for sustained dialogue and action, ABP strives to build long-term relationships with community partners and bring the experience home.

Program Overview

The ABP traces its rich history back to 1975, when a group of Georgetown students elected to spend their spring break in Appalachia. Since its founding, ABP has expanded to connect Georgetown students, faculty, and staff to over fifty different domestic and international communities. Currently, ABP supports 2 Fall immerisons and 6 Spring immersion that examine a diverse set of intersecting social justice issues.

Each immersion experience consists of three phases:

Pre and Post trip engagement are mandatory for all participants on all immersions. Fall immersion pre-trips engagements are on September 19, October 3, and October 10 and the Post-trip engagement is on October 17. For Spring immersions, pre-trips will take place during January and February.

Model

In order to achieve its mission, ABP has five ABPillars:

  1. Justice immersion
  2. Solidarity
  3. Community building
  4. Reflection
  5. Substance-free fun

And five Best Practices:

  1. Ask Why
  2. Be Present
  3. Challenge Your Perspective
  4. Be Comfortable Being Uncomfortable
  5. Bring It Home

These practices are used throughout ABP – during pre-trip activities, the trip, post-trip activities – and beyond.

Get Involved

We encourage you to get engaged with ABP through a leadership role, as a participant, or as a partner.

Leadership: Hone your skills with a cohort of 10 fellow undergraduate students through a year-long social justice leadership development program. Immersion Fellows develop and facilitate a Spring Break immersion trip with a co-leader, and Program Coordinators support program operations, communications, and capacity. This is a weekly commitment October – May, eligible for Federal Work-Study and credit.

Participant: Take a deep dive into social justice and solidarity with a group of 12 Georgetown community members. Partiicpants learn together as a group as you engage your head, heart, and hands and move through pre-trip, trip, and post-trip activities. This is a weekly commitment January – May. There are NO participant fees or fundraising requirements.

Partner: Email altbreaks@georgetown.edu to discuss partnering with ABP!

Connect to our community through social media

For more information and to join the ABP community, like the ABP Facebook page and follow us on Instagram.