Reviving a Tradition of Giving Back
When most college students envision spring break, they picture beaches, road trips, and relaxation. But for 23 University of Alabama students, this year’s break was spent in service rather than leisure. Through the Beyond Bama alternative spring break program, they dedicated their time to making a difference. These efforts affected communities both near and far.
“In its heyday, we were doing four or five trips during spring break,” said Haley Carpenter, assistant director at the Center for Service and Leadership. “The first trips were local, and then over the years they expanded.”
After a hiatus since 2020, Beyond Bama returned with two service-oriented trips—one to Memphis and another to Orange Beach. Each trip was carefully organized in collaboration with local organizations, providing students with hands-on opportunities to serve. In Memphis, students worked with Serve 901, supporting organizations like Girls, Inc., a mobile food bank, and an urban farm. Meanwhile, in Orange Beach, students partnered with Gulf State Park to work on environmental initiatives. They also collaborated with Feeding the Gulf Coast for community-focused projects. Additionally, students engaged with Dauphin Island Sea Lab to further support these initiatives.
Beyond Bama is unique not just for its focus on service but for its student-led structure. This year’s trips were planned by program administrators. Still, the long-term vision is to restore student leadership in coordinating destinations and partnerships.
“This year has been a good start, but I think we can get to a place where students are even more involved,” Carpenter said.
Neila Nene, a nursing major from Birmingham, reflected on her experience at Orange Beach. “While volunteering at Feeding the Gulf Coast, it surprised me how much work is done by volunteers,” she said. “I will remember the women at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab who volunteer almost three times a week to keep the Sea Lab in its best shape. They do it for the love of helping out.”
Kaleigh Oberg, a sophomore environmental science major from Huntsville, found the experience both meaningful and transformative. “I loved being able to see the impact we made in the short time we had at each place!” she said.
Beyond Bama is more than just a volunteer program—it’s a community-building experience that fosters leadership and personal growth. For students like Oberg, the impact extends beyond the trip itself. It inspires them to take on new leadership roles in service initiatives at UA.
With strong institutional support and student enthusiasm, the future of Beyond Bama looks bright. The program is on track to expand. It will offer even more students the opportunity to serve, lead, and grow. They will make a lasting impact on the communities they visit.
Source:
- https://youtu.be/sSKIqxP01Ew?si=Z1TnhsjwwSb0Cv8-
- https://news.ua.edu/2025/03/ua-students-go-beyond-bama-for-spring-break-service-and-leadership/
- https://chatgpt.com/
- https://app.pictory.ai/
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