Service-Learning | Cultural Immersion | Lifelong Impact

March 6–13, 2027

Join us for an unforgettable eight-day Alternative Break experience in Puerto Rico, where service meets learning in one of the world's most beautiful and culturally rich regions.

Destination

  • El Yunque National Forest
  • Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve
  • Local Puerto Rican Communities

What You’ll Do

  • Participate in conservation projects in protected natural areas
  • Support disaster relief and resiliency efforts in local communities
  • Volunteer with the Boys and Girls Club
    • Help with homework
    • Assist with recreational activities
    • Support youth in practicing English
  • Immerse yourself in Puerto Rican culture and engage with local citizens

Why Join?

  • Deepen your understanding of critical social and environmental issues
  • Develop leadership and teamwork skills
  • Make a positive impact while exploring a new culture
  • Prepare for a lifetime of social action and civic engagement

This is more than a trip; it’s a transformative journey.

Program Requirements

The success of the Alternative Spring Break program relies on the responsible, committed, and enthusiastic participation of every team member.

Each participant plays a vital role in creating a meaningful, respectful, and impactful service-learning experience for the communities we serve and for one another.

Students will be responsible for the following:

  • Attend group meetings before/after the spring break excursion
  • Spring semester: mandatory weekly meetings: Tuesdays from 12:15–1:15 p.m. in the Student Success Center, 140 Eiche Library

Program Costs

$1400—CCI program fee includes:

  • Seven nights at the Volunteer House in El Yunque, Puerto Rico
  • In-country transportation
  • Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  • Conservation project at Cabezas de San Juan
  • Environmental restoration project
  • Boys and Girls Club activities: homework, recreational activities, practice speaking English
  • Disaster relief and resiliency project in the local community
  • Explore El Escambrón Beach Coral Reef and learn about challenges to Puerto Rico's coral reefs.

$215—Additional Activities

  • Group meal at Luquillo Food Kiosks: ~$75 per person
  • Las Pailas Water Slides: ~$10 per person
  • Coral Reef Exploration on Catamaran ~ $130 per person

$900—Airfare
Departing airport TBD to San Juan Munoz Marin International (SJU) Airport

$350—Bus Transportation to and from the airport
Penn State Altoona to and from TBD designated airport

~$2865*—Tentative Total Program Costs

*Strong possibility of Student Initiated Fee (SIF), Academic Affairs Travel Awards, Chancellor Future Fund and Endowment funding available to help reduce the student’s out-of-pocket costs to participate.

Note: All costs are subject to change based on current market rates and the number of participants at the time of travel.

Other Expenses

  • $0–75—Airline Baggage Fees
  • $30–35.50*—Real ID (Required to travel on any domestic flight)
  • $160—Passport (not required for travel to Puerto Rico)
  • $200—Personal expenses
  • Immunizations (costs vary depending on insurance coverage)

Academic Requirements

  • Minimum 2.5 GPA
  • Registered for spring 2027

Application Process

  1. Apply online by October 31, 2026. A limited number of participants will be accepted.
  2. Judicial and academic records reviewed.
  3. Personal Interview with Alternative Spring Break faculty and staff leaders

Deadlines

Program Advisers

Victoria Hesser, Co-Program Leader

Since 2010, Victoria has served as a dedicated program adviser and logistics facilitator for Penn State’s Alternative Spring Break program, ensuring all activities align with university protocols.

Her leadership has helped shape transformative experiences for students, offering them the opportunity to spend their spring breaks meaningfully in communities vastly different from their own. Past destinations have included Jinotega, Nicaragua; Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic; and Luquillo, Puerto Rico—each providing immersive service-learning opportunities that foster cultural understanding, civic engagement, and personal growth.

Dorothee Hendoux-Goodman, Co-Program Leader

Dorothee joined the Alternative Spring Break program in spring 2024, bringing her passion for student engagement and global learning to the team.

She serves as the Faculty and Program Assistant for a wide range of academic areas, including English, the Honors Program, Human Development and Family Studies, Information Sciences and Technology, Mathematics, Multidisciplinary Studies, Visual Art Studies, and World Languages.