Brandywine students serve communities on alternative spring break trip

MEDIA, Pa. — Eight Penn State Brandywine students traveled to Mechanicsville, Virginia, during spring break to participate in an Alternative Spring Break program, building affordable housing for families in the community in partnership with Habitat for Humanity. The trip marked the first Alternative Spring Break trip for the campus since 2016, reviving a tradition of service-focused travel for students.

Organized by the Office of Student Affairs and the Center for Social Impact, the three-day trip gave students the opportunity to volunteer on a home construction project while learning more about housing insecurity and the importance of community service.

Working alongside Habitat for Humanity staff and volunteers, students assisted with construction tasks and gained hands-on experience contributing to a project that will help provide safe, affordable housing for families in the community.

“The ASB program gave me a chance to reflect on all the community effort that goes into building a home,” said Zibo Senome-Bridgers, a second-year biochemistry student at Penn State Brandywine. “I'm grateful to be a part of this experience because I was able to learn new skills and build homes with fellow students.”

Alternative Spring Break trips are designed to provide students with meaningful opportunities to engage with communities while developing a deeper understanding of social issues.

“This trip was a powerful example of what true partnership and collaboration can look like. Our relationship with Habitat for Humanity has grown quickly — from launching our campus Habitat chapter just last semester, to hosting multiple service events with strong student engagement, and now culminating in our first Alternative Spring Break trip with the group. Seeing that progression and the level of commitment from our students has been incredibly rewarding,” said Kenneth Murphy, coordinator for the Center for Social Impact.

“Through this experience, students had the opportunity to serve alongside Habitat for Humanity and contribute to communities beyond our campus,” he added. “They were able to get their hands dirty on the build site, while also developing the soft skills that are just as important — building relationships, networking and collaborating with partners and volunteers from different communities and states.”

Murphy also pointed out how the trip aligned strongly with the center’s three pillars — community development, civic engagement and human rights —which were established upon the start of his tenure in 2025.

“From a community development perspective, it allowed our students to extend the impact of our campus into other communities, recognizing that meaningful changing often happens through shared effort,” he said.

“It also reflected civic engagement, as students actively used their time, voices and energy to support others and make a tangible difference," Murphy added. "Finally, it connected deeply to human rights, as the work with Habitat for Humanity directly supports individuals and families through access to safe, stable and affordable housing.”

The Alternative Spring Break tradition is set to continue next academic year, giving more students the opportunity to step outside the classroom and make an impact.