Author: Loren Belew

Do you have spring break plans yet? Have you thought about going on an Alternative Spring Break?

Alternative Spring Break will expose WSU students to complex social and cultural issues through community visits, direct service, group discussions and common readings. The 2026 Alternative Spring Break trip will take place in Dallas.

Participants will depart Wichita State on Sunday, March 15 and return late on Friday, March 21. We will stay at Camp Carter in Dallas-Fort Worth. Throughout the week, we will volunteer with organizations that focus on food and hunger, youth and mentoring, environment and sustainability, and animal welfare. On the final day, we will have a tour day, and students can choose between spending the day at Six Flags or touring Dallas museums.

The cost of the trip is $150 per student, which includes transportation, lodging, food, programming and the final day of fun activities. Meals during travel to and from Kansas to Texas are not included. The full payment of $150 must be received by Jan. 9.

Trip participants are required to attend a series of three one-hour meetings before the trip and one post-trip seminar. Participants who are unable to attend the meetings must meet individually with the civic engagement coordinator to get the information that they have missed. The meetings will explore issues related to the service projects through readings and discussions, as well as provide logistical information about the trip.

Selection will be based on the application and reflection statements. Participants will be chosen anonymously by a selection committee of staff from Student Engagement & Belonging.

The application deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21. Applications should be submitted to the SEB office in RSC 216 or emailed to Loren.Belew@wichita.edu. Participants will be notified by Friday, Dec. 5.

Do you have spring break plans yet? Have you thought about going on an Alternative Spring Break?

Alternative Spring Break will expose WSU students to complex social and cultural issues through community visits, direct service, group discussions and common readings. The 2026 Alternative Spring Break trip will take place in Dallas.

Participants will depart Wichita State on Sunday, March 15 and return late on Friday, March 21. We will stay at Camp Carter in Dallas-Fort Worth. Throughout the week, we will volunteer with organizations that focus on food and hunger, youth and mentoring, environment and sustainability, and animal welfare. On the final day, we will have a tour day, and students can choose between spending the day at Six Flags or touring Dallas museums.

The cost of the trip is $150 per student, which includes transportation, lodging, food, programming and the final day of fun activities. Meals during travel to and from Kansas to Texas are not included. The full payment of $150 must be received by Jan. 9.

Trip participants are required to attend a series of three one-hour meetings before the trip and one post-trip seminar. Participants who are unable to attend the meetings must meet individually with the civic engagement coordinator to get the information that they have missed. The meetings will explore issues related to the service projects through readings and discussions, as well as provide logistical information about the trip.

Selection will be based on the application and reflection statements. Participants will be chosen anonymously by a selection committee of staff from Student Engagement & Belonging.

The application deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21. Applications should be submitted to the SEB office in RSC 216 or emailed to Loren.Belew@wichita.edu. Participants will be notified by Friday, Dec. 5.

Do you have spring break plans yet? Have you thought about going on an Alternative Spring Break?

Alternative Spring Break will expose WSU students to complex social and cultural issues through community visits, direct service, group discussions and common readings. The 2026 Alternative Spring Break trip will take place in Dallas.

Participants will depart Wichita State on Sunday, March 15 and return late on Friday, March 21. We will stay at Camp Carter in Dallas-Fort Worth. Throughout the week, we will volunteer with organizations that focus on food and hunger, youth and mentoring, environment and sustainability, and animal welfare. On the final day, we will have a tour day, and students can choose between spending the day at Six Flags or touring Dallas museums.

The cost of the trip is $150 per student, which includes transportation, lodging, food, programming and the final day of fun activities. Meals during travel to and from Kansas to Texas are not included. The full payment of $150 must be received by Jan. 9.

Trip participants are required to attend a series of three one-hour meetings before the trip and one post-trip seminar. Participants who are unable to attend the meetings must meet individually with the civic engagement coordinator to get the information that they have missed. The meetings will explore issues related to the service projects through readings and discussions, as well as provide logistical information about the trip.

Selection will be based on the application and reflection statements. Participants will be chosen anonymously by a selection committee of staff from Student Engagement & Belonging.

The application deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21. Applications should be submitted to the SEB office in RSC 216 or emailed to Loren.Belew@wichita.edu. Participants will be notified by Friday, Dec. 5.

Tuesday, Oct. 28 is National Vote Early Day. In celebration of this national holiday, the Shockers Vote Coalition will provide rides to an early voting location to vote. Free bus rides will be available throughout the day to give you rides to the polls beginning at 10 a.m. through 5 p.m. Meet on the first floor of the RSC to learn more about voting early and to catch your ride to vote early.

For more information email civicengagement@wichita.edu or call 316-978-7016.

This upcoming Spring Break, WSU students have an opportunity to spend the week volunteering in Dallas Texas. Trip participants will depart Wichita March 15 and will travel back March 20 and will have an opportunity to volunteer throughout the week with different organizations each day with volunteer work with organizations that serve issues related to food and hunger, youth and mentoring, environment and sustainability, and animal welfare. On the final day, participants will tour either at Six Flags or the museums in Dallas. At the conclusion of the day the group will travel back to Kansas and arrive back in Kansas around midnight March 21.

The cost of the trip is $150 per student and includes transportation to Texas, lodging, food, programming and a final day/fun activity.

To apply, fill out an application and return it to the Student Engagement & Belonging office in 216 RSC by by 5 p.m. Nov. 21. You may also email your completed application to CivicEngagement@wichita.edu. For more information email Loren.Belew@wichita.edu or call 316-978-7016.

Join the Community Service Board for a morning of volunteering with neighbors in the Shocker Neighborhood. Help those in the Shocker community keep their neighborhoods clean and beautiful. Volunteers will help clean up trash and debris. The next clean-up will be from 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 27.

For more information, email CSB@wichita.edu or call 316-978-7016.

Are you interested in getting involved with voting and civic engagement? Join the Shockers Vote Campus Coalition for monthly meetings to learn more about voting and ways you can get involved. Meetings will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. Sept. 12, Oct. 10 and Nov. 7 via Microsoft Teams. For questions and meeting information, email CivicEngagement@wichita.edu

In celebration of National Voter Registration Day, the Shockers Vote Coalition will be available from 8 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16 on the first floor of the Rhatigan Student Center and throughout campus providing donuts and information about voting. Check your voter registration, explore your voting options and find out about how you can join the Shockers Vote Coalition.

For more information about the Shockers Vote coalition, email CivicEngagement@wichita.edu or call 316-978-7016.

Join the Community Service Board for volunteering at the Kansas Food Bank Warehouse. Volunteers will help with sorting and organizing food that will be distributed throughout Kansas through various initiatives offered by the Kansas Food Bank. Volunteers are encouraged to wear comfortable clothing and shoes.

For questions, email CSB@wichita.edu,

Join WSU’s largest one day volunteer event with Wu’s Big Event Sept. 20. Join your fellow Shockers for a morning of volunteering throughout the community. Individuals, groups, organizations and students are all invited to attend. Check-in for Wu’s Big Event will be from 8:30 to 8:50 a.m.

The kick-off will begin at 9 a.m. in the 305/306 Rhatigan Student Center, Beggs Ballroom with a light breakfast and kick-off celebration. Participants will then load the buses and be at a service site by 10 a.m. Volunteers will work until noon and return to the Beggs Ballroom for lunch and closing festivities.

Still have questions? Email CSB@wichita.edu or call 316-978-7016