Kansas State University

All K-State undergraduate and graduate students are invited to apply for the Winter 2025 Alternative Breaks, a program hosted by the Staley School of Leadership. Alternative Breaks are local community projects focused on service-learning that are typically offered during K-State’s Spring break and Winter break as well as select weekends. Participants learn about social issues through service with communities and nonprofit organizations. 

Alternative Breaks allow students to gain hands-on experience working within communities. Participants will be challenged to prepare, act, reflect, and evaluate their service experience. This approach to service is more than volunteering, it allows participants to better understand community impact and practice leadership. 

Students will also get a first-hand tour of the community to learn more about community members and social context. By exploring the communities’ history and opportunities, students gain valuable context, linking service and learning to real-world impact, while deepening their understanding of community needs. 

Upcoming winter break trips will take place this January. Applications are due Friday, Dec. 20. 

“Choosing an alternative break for service over your winter break is more than a chance to engage in meaningful service—it’s an opportunity to grow, connect, and see the world through new perspectives, said Tamara Bauer, Tamara Bauer Ed.D., director of leadership and service programs and assistant teaching professor at the Staley School.

“By participating in service, you’re not only contributing to meaningful work but also discovering your own capacity for empathy, leadership, and impact. Through collaboration and reflection, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the strengths and challenges within a community, fostering personal growth and a commitment to thoughtful, informed action.”  

Students who have questions can set up a one-on-one meeting with the Alternative Breaks team to discuss the options, expectations, and find out what site is right for you! Email altbreak@ksu.edu.  

Winter Break Trip Details: 

Jan. 5-8: Springfield, Missouri | Watershed Committee of the Ozarks
Download/print a flyer about this trip

Get involved in sustainability efforts in Springfield! Explore programs focused on energy conservation, sustainable food production, and environmental conservation. Volunteer with local organizations to gain a comprehensive understanding of how these vital elements work together to create a more sustainable future. 

Possible activities: 

• Trail maintenance 
• Invasive species removal 
• Habitat improvement projects 
• Wildlife nursery projects

Who would love this break? Students interested in: 

• Environmental Science  
• Agriculture and Food Systems Sustainability
  

Jan. 12-15: Kansas City, Missouri | Hope Faith Ministries
Download/print a flyer about this trip

Explore the root causes of housing insecurity and the various relief programs in Kansas City, Missouri. Join the Hope Faith Ministries team to assist with meal preparation and service, organizing supplies, and engaging with clients, as well as collaborating with other local nonprofits to provide essential resources throughout the Greater Kansas City area. 

Possible activities: 

• Serving meals 
• Sorting donations 
• Interacting with guests

Who would love this break? Students interested in: 

• Nonprofit Work/Volunteering 
• Public Health/Education 
• Social Work/Sociology 
• Building Empathy 
• Social Awareness 

Jan. 12-15: Garden City, Kansas | Agriculture, diversity and rural systems
Download/print a flyer about this trip

Experience diverse rural systems through the lens of multiple cultures in Garden City. You will be exposed to the unique ways in which Kansas communities and agricultural organizations impact our global food system and have the opportunity to explore how rural communities practice inclusive leadership. 

Possible activities: 

• Tour a large commercial cattle feeding and farm operation 
• Tour of Tyson Foods, meat packing plant 
• Volunteer at a local school with diverse population 
• Volunteer at Emmaus House and Kansas Food Bank (shelter and food programs) 
• Explore ethnic markets

Who would love this break? Students interested in: 

• Agriculture/Environmental Studies 
• Ag Education 
• Global Food Systems 
• Public Policy 
• Community Development 
• Anthropology/Sociology

Zara Thomas, sophomore studying advertising/public relations and student coordinator on the Staley School PR team, had the opportunity to listen and learn with a group of Wildcats who traveled internationally this summer to Guatemala and South Africa with the Staley School of Leadership Service Teams – a service-based applied learning opportunity. Here’s what Zara learned. 

Earlier this semester, I attended reflection sessions and spoke with students who traveled to Guatemala and South Africa this past summer through International Service Teams (IST), a service-abroad program based at the Staley School of Leadership. 

Throughout these reflection sessions, I witnessed the passion of these students as they shared their experiences. When they talked about Guatemala or South Africa, the people they met, and the lessons they learned, their eyes lit up with love, admiration, and pride. They had the opportunity to immerse themselves in another culture for a month and returned transformed.  

After the reflections, I had the chance to interview two students one-on-one to learn even more.  Continue reading “Traveling abroad for service leads to endless possibilities for Wildcats” →

Looking for an adventure of service, learning, and new friendships? Join a Service Team!

Kansas State University students are invited to join the Staley School of Leadership Service Teams on an Alternative Break to La Harpe, Kansas, for a community clean-up.

You can sign up as an individual or encourage your student group members or friends to attend with you! The team will depart from the K-State campus 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15, and return to campus around 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16. Applications are due Monday, Nov. 11.

Students can be undergraduate or graduate, domestic or international, and from any major area of study. The cost to attend is $10. Participants and site leaders will receive training before the trip. Learn more and register.

Why Service Teams?

• Make progress within communities.
• Build relationships with Wildcats – which is great for your well-being.
• Explore the Midwest.
• Grow personally and professionally.
• Learn through service.

“Year after year, students who participate in a Service Teams experience come back and tell us just how valuable this work was for their growth, and how it can change their perspective and even open their eyes to a new career path they are passionate about,” said Tamara Bauer Ed.D., director of leadership and service programs and assistant teaching professor at the Staley School.

Students will participate in the Active Citizen Summit to prep for the Alternative Break and connect with fellow volunteers on these dates:

• Pre-Experience Summit: 6-8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 11
• Post-Experience Summit (Reflection): 6-7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 18

More Upcoming Alternative Breaks
Winter Break: Jan. 12-15 | Request more information

• Kansas City, Missouri
• Garden City, Kansas
• Springfield, Missouri

Spring Break: March 15-19 | Request more information

• Tahlequah, Oklahoma
• Dallas, Texas

For more information about the Staley School Service Teams, visit www.k-state.edu/serviceteams or email leadership@ksu.edu.

The Staley School of Leadership at Kansas State University includes undergraduate and graduate leadership studies academic programs, leadership and service co-curricular programs, the University Honors Program, and Scholar Development and Undergraduate Research. The Staley School equips learners with leadership skills and academic excellence through applied learning experiences, in-class learning, and community partnerships around the world. To learn more, visit www.k-state.edu/leadership.

The Staley School of Leadership, in partnership with the Staley School student ambassadors, and supported in part by the office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, hosted Caitie Whelan in October for a workshop series on public policy. More than 75 students, faculty, staff and community members participated in the events.  

Whelan, a former Congressional staffer, is a policy entrepreneur who helps demystify the public policy process and how policy is made, so citizens can easily and effectively contribute to the systems that directly impact daily life at local levels.  

“I think that having workshops like these are important because public policy is so much more than just rules and regulations; it’s about shaping the world we want to live in. I want to have an impact, not just for myself but for my community,” said Kiersten Schmalz, junior studying business management and marketing, with minors in leadership studies and psychology, and a Staley School Ambassador.

“We all should want what’s best for our neighbors and when we all are able to engage in these conversations, we can better learn how to create the kind of change that matters and helps everyone thrive!”  

Throughout the workshops, Whelan engaged with Wildcats to highlight who the Kansas representatives are, in what areas of policy they have input, and how to best communicate with them about issues that matter most to the workshop participants.  

For anyone who could not attend the workshops, Whelan recorded “Three Essential Tools to Help Shape the Laws You Live Under.” These videos are brief but packed with easy-to-understand information about public policy. Her comments are also summarized in this infographic.  Continue reading “Whelan shines light on public policy and local government right in time for voting season “ →