Nine University of Memphis students kicked off their summer giving back to the community in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla. as part of the Alternative Break Experience (ABE).
“My favorite part about ABE is watching the students transform over the week,” said Ryan Wade, director of the Center for Service Learning and Volunteerism. “They have the ‘lightbulb’ moments where they realize the impact that these nonprofits have in the community, but also the impact that they themselves have by participating in community service.”
Arianna M. Humphrey, senior UofM Nursing student, experienced one of those aha moments. “This trip opened my eyes to see that my community extends beyond Memphis and Tennessee and to always seek opportunities to be of service. I will always remember each service and each person I was with. I learned something from everyone and walked away from this experience with more friends and connections.”
Students volunteered at the Habitat ReStore, organizing the store and assisting customers; supported operations at the Food For Thought food pantry; and raised awareness on trap-neuter-return programs and fostering at the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society.
“Hosting the University of Memphis Alternative Break students at Habitat ReStore was such an incredible experience for our team and our community,” said Claire Jackson, Community Development director of Habitat for Humanity of Walton County. “Their enthusiasm, willingness to serve and positive energy made an immediate impact the moment they walked through the door. What many people may not realize is that volunteering at the ReStore directly supports Habitat for Humanity Walton County’s mission by helping fund the construction of safe, affordable homes for local families. Seeing students choose to spend their time serving others and investing in a community outside of their own is both inspiring and encouraging, and we were truly grateful for the heart and dedication they brought to Habitat.”
Tiffanie Nelson, founder and CEO of Food For Thought Outreach echoed those sentiments and said, “We are so impressed by the students at the University of Memphis and their commitment to service. Fostering volunteerism is a core value at Food For Thought Outreach, and it is truly inspiring to see college students dedicating their time to making a meaningful impact.”
One of the most impactful parts of the trip for Ian Twinamasiko, a sophomore in the Fogelman College of Business and Economics, was assisting at a food bank there where students sorted over 1,600 food items for K-12 students facing food insecurity in Walton and Okaloosa counties.
“We wrote motivational cards for children receiving free backpacks, which was one of the simpler things we did but honestly one of the most meaningful to me personally.”
This trip was Twinamasiko’s first time attending an alternative break.
“This experience gave me a lot of perspective,” he said. “It’s easy to go through your daily life without fully realizing how many people around you are quietly carrying really hard situations, whether that’s food insecurity, recovering from a natural disaster or just needing encouragement. This trip made all that very real for me. I came back genuinely more grateful and more aware.”
According to the Independent Sector, the estimated value of a volunteer hour is $36.14 which increased 3.9% from 2024. The UofM Center for Service Learning and Volunteerism has over 3,000 volunteers annually with 10 or more service trip opportunities.
This past year, over 1,432 students volunteered over 14,000 plus hours to yield an economic impact of $402,266.71.
“ABEs are a transformative experience for the students,” Wade said. “We do reflections as a group every night of the trip. The reflections get better as the trip goes on. The students come back excited for service and have ideas of how they can better help the Memphis community.”
The Center for Service Learning and Volunteerism offers multiple opportunities for students to volunteer including Days of Service, Service on Saturday and Alternative Break Experiences in the fall, spring and summer. For more information, contact them at service@memphis.edu.
RECENT GRADUATE BENJAMIN BURKS (’25) SHARES HIS EXPERIENCE WITH THE CENTER FOR SERVICE LEARNING AND VOLUNTEERISM.
