University of Richmond offers unique spring break opportunities

March 4, 2015

When people hear the term “spring break,” they may think of students heading off for a week of fun in the sun. While often the case, some University of Richmond students are participating in educational or service opportunities.

Sixteen students from the School of Professional & Continuing Studies (SPCS) will travel to Seville, Spain March 7-14. The trip is part of an interdisciplinary class titled “Spain’s Cultural Crossroads: Immigration, Labor Markets and Leadership.” Undergraduate and graduate level students from various majors meet throughout the semester, but the majority of the classroom work is conducted while in Spain through a partnership with Centro Internacional de Estudios Culturales.

Many SPCS students have full-time jobs and traditionally are not able to participate in semester-long study abroad experiences.

“UR is dedicated to offering all students a global experience, and this spring break opportunity for SPCS students is a great way of accomplishing that,” said Gretchen Flynn Morris, co-leader of the Spring Break Abroad course.

Michelle Edgell, a Masters of Liberal Arts (MLA) student, participated in Spring Break Abroad in 2013 visiting Cork, Ireland.

“Spring Break Abroad is a great way to get the full college experience,” Edgell said. “The intense week is packed with both educational and recreational opportunities.”

James Kincaid is also enrolled in the MLA program. He went to Ireland and is also attending this year’s trip to Spain.

“I look forward to learning more about the world in which we live and the challenges that have faced others over the centuries,” Kincaid said. “From an adult education perspective, this class is far more than just a pleasant trip to another country – though that’s nice too. It’s a primer in foreign culture and world economics, and leads one to a greater understanding and appreciation of the global village and our role in it, as an individual and as a country.”

For information about Spring Break Abroad, visit the SPCS webpage.

Other unique, educational or service-driven UR spring break opportunities include:

  • Pilgrimage Poland is a spring break opportunity for students to travel to Poland and learn about how Catholic and Jewish religious groups shaped the country throughout history. Students spend nine days exploring different cities throughout the country and discussing the Holocaust, World War II and other major events that affected millions of lives.
  • Alternative Spring Breaks
    • Through seminars, field trips and service, participating students will take a closer look at education, particularly the challenges that students, teachers, administrators and parents in Richmond face. This opportunity is sponsored by the Bonner Center for Civic Engagement.
    • Participants explore food access disparities and organizations that are working to eliminate them. Students will spend time in the city of Richmond and travel to local farms, interacting with farmers' markets, government agencies, food banks and other community partners. This program is offered through the Office of Common Ground. 
    • Groups of students travel to Louisiana or West Virginia to work in service-learning experiences. These trips are organized through SEEDS, or Students Engaging and Enacting a Dialogue on Service. This student-run organization works with marginalized communities in the Unites States to foster relationships and conversations about social injustice and the role of service.

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