Alternative Breaks are immersive trips, facilitated by the Staley School of Leadership, that focus on community service and social issues in Midwest communities. Wildcats engage in hands-on projects and service, learn about the local culture, and reflect on their experiences to deepen their understanding of leadership through service.
That’s the short version.
What do students get out of these experiences?
“The benefits of Alternative Breaks as professional development and skill development are unequivocal,” said Del’Sha Roberts, administrator of student programs. “Every student comes back influenced in such positive ways and armed with a deeper sense of what it really takes to ensure our cities and towns persist.”
Seeing a community operate from the perspective of a citizen, patron, or visitor is where most students’ understanding stops. But pulling back the curtain and participating in the processes that uphold that community provides an in-depth understanding unlike any other conventional professional development.
Alternative Breaks place students directly within communities, local organizations, and broader systems, helping them develop valuable skills and strengthen their resumes while making a meaningful, positive impact alongside community members.
Jess Ramirez, now an instructor at the Staley School of Leadership, was a graduate student when she traveled to Garden City, Kansas, last year. Here’s an excerpt from her reflection:
“Even now, weeks after returning, we continue to reflect on the people we met, the connections we made, and the lessons we learned. Garden City was not just a place we visited—it became a part of us, a lens through which we now see food systems, migration, and leadership in a new light,” said Ramirez.
She continued, “Our experience in Garden City was more than a trip—it was an immersion into the interconnected realities of food systems, migration, and leadership in action. It was a reminder that leadership is not about a title but about showing up, listening, and engaging with the complexities of the world around us. This trip challenged us to think critically, to step outside of what we thought we knew, and to build relationships that extend far beyond a single week of service.”
As a highlight of the Garden City experience, K-State alumnae Amanda Brookover Lee, and her husband, Andrew, serve as hosts. Amanda was born and raised in Garden City and is closely connected to the agriculture industry as a partner in Brookover Feed Yard, a third-generation family-owned commercial cattle feeder. Andrew is principal at Charles O. Stones Intermediate Center. They have been instrumental in helping design this Alternative Break by connecting students to several community members and opportunities in Garden City.
Coming up
In January 2026, a student team will once again head to Garden City, Kansas, to work with community members and gain insight into the systems in place. All students, including undergraduates and graduate students, are encouraged to take advantage of this unique opportunity.
Here are the details:
Sunday, Jan. 11 – Wednesday, Jan. 14
- Students meet on campus and travel together to Garden City
- Visit local schools to work in classrooms and learn how educators support students
- Tour Tyson Foods, Brookover Feed Yard and the Kansas Food Bank’s new regional center
- Eat authentic meals inspired by Garden City’s immigrant community
- Work alongside community partners in hands-on service projects addressing food insecurity
- Explore local markets, museums, and historic spaces to better understand the evolving culture of this rural town
- Dine with a city commissioner to gain insight into local decision-making, and connect over issues that shape the community
- Return with new insights into service, identity, and community, and a story that might change how you see Kansas
The cost to participate is $250 per student. The fee helps cover transportation, accommodation in Garden City, all meals and a K-State Service Teams T-shirt. Scholarships are available.
Students interested in participating should complete the online application by Monday, Dec. 22.
Questions or want to learn more? Email altbreaks@ksu.edu and we would love to connect with you.
As part of Elevate 2025 and the transition to university-level oversight of K-State Extension (formerly K-State Research and Extension), hosting the NELD program within the Staley School of Leadership highlights K-State’s role in strengthening leadership capacity across the region and expanding its impact as a modern, connected land-grant institution.
“When we talk about … that fast pace and those moments of just living in a society that, at times, has lost the emphasis of community … I think of it all different ways: To take the moments and reflect in that. To take the moments and get to know the people around you … it’s who shapes you.”
7-8 p.m. (CST) Wednesday, Oct. 29
