URI students plan trip to help rebuild Gulf Coast
Chris Curtis
Issue date: 1/30/08 Section: News
01/30/08 - Many students may have heard the University of Rhode Island, and academic institutions in general, referred to as an "Ivory Tower." Some might even agree with the term's characterization of the university experience as remote and sheltered from the outside world.
However, two university groups are challenging this characterization through volunteer work that immerses students in the world outside of textbooks and parties. With one group having spent winter break in New Orleans, and the second planning a trip to Alabama over spring break, the two groups are sacrificing valuable vacation time to help others.
The first group, composed of members of the Jewish student organization Hillel, recently returned from a winter break trip to New Orleans, where they worked to rebuild houses damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Jewish Student Life Coordinator Lisa Friedman traveled to New Orleans with her group of 13 students to work with the nonprofit national organization, "Rebuilding Together," which works to repair the homes of the elderly and disabled.
Arriving Sunday, Jan. 6 and leaving Sunday of the following week, the group stayed at a camp for volunteers in the town of Kiln, Miss.
After commuting an hour to the city each morning, the volunteers worked on two houses in the Broadmoor neighborhood and St. Bernard Parish, both areas of relatively high elevation that were devastated by the hurricane.
The group worked Monday through Friday gutting, insulating and painting the two heavily damaged houses.
Students have a second opportunity to expand their horizons with the Academic Alternative Spring Break.
Led by Gail Faris, assistant director of student life at the Women's Center, the Academic Alternative Spring Break in Birmingham, Ala., will give students the opportunity to learn about social problems firsthand. The Academic Alternative group is not yet scheduled for a specific project in Birmingham, but Faris expects to be doing work similar to that performed by the Hillel group.
However, two university groups are challenging this characterization through volunteer work that immerses students in the world outside of textbooks and parties. With one group having spent winter break in New Orleans, and the second planning a trip to Alabama over spring break, the two groups are sacrificing valuable vacation time to help others.
The first group, composed of members of the Jewish student organization Hillel, recently returned from a winter break trip to New Orleans, where they worked to rebuild houses damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Jewish Student Life Coordinator Lisa Friedman traveled to New Orleans with her group of 13 students to work with the nonprofit national organization, "Rebuilding Together," which works to repair the homes of the elderly and disabled.
Arriving Sunday, Jan. 6 and leaving Sunday of the following week, the group stayed at a camp for volunteers in the town of Kiln, Miss.
After commuting an hour to the city each morning, the volunteers worked on two houses in the Broadmoor neighborhood and St. Bernard Parish, both areas of relatively high elevation that were devastated by the hurricane.
The group worked Monday through Friday gutting, insulating and painting the two heavily damaged houses.
Students have a second opportunity to expand their horizons with the Academic Alternative Spring Break.
Led by Gail Faris, assistant director of student life at the Women's Center, the Academic Alternative Spring Break in Birmingham, Ala., will give students the opportunity to learn about social problems firsthand. The Academic Alternative group is not yet scheduled for a specific project in Birmingham, but Faris expects to be doing work similar to that performed by the Hillel group.