Mount Ida College Students Give Back to the Community
June 5, 2012
Mount Ida students at Alternative Spring Break in Lafayette, Louisiana.
Mount Ida College students are dedicated to becoming responsible and engaged citizens in our ever changing world. They have many opportunities to do just that in both meaningful and personal ways, from the All College Curriculum to the numerous campus clubs and organizations. One example is Alternative Spring Break. This past spring, Danielle Magner ’12 and 11 other Mount Ida students volunteered for Habitat for Humanity. Danielle Magner shared her experience with us.
Mission to Serve
Magner first participated in the Alternative Spring Break program in 2011 because she was eager to spend her spring break on a mission to serve. After a positive first experience, Magner became a student leader for the program, fundraising for the March 2012 trip to Lafayette, Louisiana, as well as interviewing program applicants regarding their service hours, financial standing, and academic eligibility.
“It’s extremely rewarding to know that your volunteer work is giving someone a better chance at life,” said Magner. “It takes 16 weeks to build a house and, being a small part of that larger team effort, makes me feel appreciative of our tight-knit community at Mount Ida.”
Immersed in Activism
Upon arriving in Louisiana last spring, our students were introduced to their Habitat for Humanity house. Through immersing themselves in this new environment, students were able to engage in hands-on community service during their stay. They worked on the house every day and, in the evenings, they participated in a variety of community activities, including walking to town, attending crawfish bakes, and going to the movies.
Besides bonding with her fellow classmates, Magner’s favorite part of the trip was the unveiling of the finished house. At this gathering, students saw the new home owners receive their keys and tour their new home. In the coming months and years ahead, Danielle hopes to form a Habitat for Humanity in her hometown to continue to make a meaningful, positive impact on our world community.