Allegheny Student Government

I think that some of my most significant moments at Allegheny have come through the Alternative Spring Break program. I think Ryan had touched on this under a different posting, but I really believe that ASB is a stellar program that the College should seriously consider expanding in the years ahead.

The benefits are almost too numerous to list: It provides students with a chance to experience a variety of different cultures; it promotes an ethic of service and social justice; it introduces Allegheny to outside organizations and communities all throughout the country (and does so in an overwhelmingly positive light); and, in some ways, it can serve as a more financially viable alternative to EL Terms and study abroads for students who want that "outside of Meadville" experience but simply can't afford the other programs.

I agree with Zack. If I am not mistaken this year they had to open up a new section for an ASB trip and still had to turn people down. I think this is both excellent and a problem. Service learned in the ASB trips not only stays at the sight, but the students bring their experiences all back to Allegheny, and judging by the growing interest, this program should be expanded. I think our value as a college is something that Dave Roncolata talks about, and that is hitting our personal "wall" but having the strengthen and belief in the good of the cause to overcome that wall and as a result we grow as people. I think were value energy and determination, not only on the ASB trips or other service learning trips, but in areas of academics and social circumstances.

Many of my most significant experiences at Allegheny come from the everyday service that I do in the Meadville community. While I appreciate that significant experiences come from ASBs and EL Terms for some people, I believe that Allegheny prides itself on being an integral part of the community through the service work we do for the college and surrounding area every day. I think that if more students recognized the potential to be active in the community in simple ways everyday our community would grow closer and stronger.