Making an Impact: SMU’s 2025 Alternative Break Focuses on Service and Community
We are thrilled to announce the expansion of SMU’s Alternative Break program during winter break! This transformative experience took place January 13-17, 2025. The program, hosted through a partnership between SMU’s Engage Dallas and the Social and Intercultural Engagement (SCIE) office, invited SMU students to dedicate a week of service in West and South Dallas, making a tangible difference in our local community.
Engage Dallas is a university-wide program rooted in SMU’s Residential Commons system. It connects students with place-based community engagement opportunities in South and West Dallas, aligning with specific community-identified needs to foster deeper relationships between the university and the city.
A Tradition of Service
The mission of Alternative Breaks is to provide quality service experience and awareness to all SMU community members, creating active citizens through education, direct service, and reflection. An active citizen is a person whose community becomes a priority in values and life choices that benefit the community through organizing or joining small groups of thoughtful citizens committed to continual education, direct service, advocacy, and philanthropy.
This week-long program embraced a student-led, group-based approach to volunteering, emphasizing collaboration, shared meals, and reflective debrief sessions. These sessions are critical for understanding the broader impact of service and brainstorming sustainable ways to address persistent issues affecting marginalized communities in Dallas.
Focus Areas: Food Insecurity and Community Empowerment
This Alternative Break focused on food insecurity and community empowerment, two Engage Dallas community-identified needs connected to Boaz and McElvaney Residential Commons.
Nine students devoted their time and energy to volunteering at Brother Bill’s Helping Hand in West and South Dallas,Our Savior Episcopal Church and Community Gardens, and Sunny South Community Garden. These organizations provide essential resources, cultivate community bonds, and work tirelessly to uplift their neighborhoods.
Looking Ahead
We are immensely proud to have these students represent SMU during the break and look forward to seeing the impact of their efforts. This trip is not only about service but also about building connections, reflecting on personal growth, and becoming part of the change happening in our community.
We invite the entire SMU community to follow along and support this incredible endeavor as we work together to address critical issues and empower those around us. If you would like to stay connected with SMU Engage Dallas, please follow us on Instagram @SMU.Engage.Dallas and @alternativebreakssmu and subscribe to the Engage Dallas blog!