St. Norbert College Students to Participate in TRIPS Programs Over Spring Break

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From St. Norbert College, March 3, 2017
by Matthew Matuszak, matthew.matuszak@snc.edu, 920-403-3089

This spring break, groups of St. Norbert College students will travel to different locations across the country to take part in the TRIPS alternative break service program. Organized by the college's Sturzl Center for Community Service and Learning, TRIPS (an acronym for Turning Responsibility Into Powerful Service) challenges students to put their beliefs into action by spending a week in service. Each trip focuses on a particular area of need. The Spring Break 2017 TRIPS programs and their participants are listed below.

Friends with Disabilities (March 11-18)
Clinton, Iowa

This group will provide friendship and support in the L'Arche community, which is dedicated to the creation and growth of homes, programs and support networks with people who have intellectual disabilities.

Participants include: Paige Bonner (Milwaukee), Isabel Detienne (Sheboygan, Wis.), Mikala Gwinn (Clintonville, Wis.), Megan Lau (De Pere, Wis.), Beverly Lee (Milwaukee) and Danny Wilson (Palatine, Ill.).

Affordable Housing -- Christmas In Action (March 11-18)
Spartanburg, S.C.

This group will work with Christmas In Action, a non-profit organization with the vision of being a force in preventing substandard housing and preventing the elderly from being forced into a nursing home. Christmas In Action achieves this vision by rehabilitating homes of the elderly, disabled and otherwise disadvantaged homeowners. Students will work on home repair projects alongside other volunteers and partners throughout the community.

Participants include: Ashley Bauer (Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.), Thu Bui (Vietnam), Matt Gernetzke (Evansville, Wis.), Stacie Hartl (Stratford, Wis.), Mary Holz (Milwaukee), Abigail Kurth (Madison, Wis.), Abigail McIntyre (Menomonee Falls, Wis.), Lauren Michael (Livonia, Mich.), Maranda Mumma (De Pere, Wis.), Zjennai Vang (Sheboygan, Wis.) and Mikaela Wolf (Minneapolis).

Affordable Housing -- Habitat for Humanity (March 10-18)
Little Rock, Ark.

This group will spend a week painting, building and restoring homes with other volunteers and homeowners, as well as assisting with projects in the ReStore, a nonprofit home improvement store and donation center.

Participants include: Lauren Adams (McHenry, Ill.), Caytie Joe Boknevitz (Milwaukee), Gracie Caltagerone (Winnebago, Ill.), Kelly Haen (Appleton, Wis.), Lizzie Jazwiec (Elgin, Ill.), Sarah Jensen (Adell, Wis.), Autumn Johnson (Pewaukee, Wis.), Kaci Keleher (Oconomowoc, Wis.), Joseph Mohr (Brussels, Wis.), Barbara Schmidbauer (Pleasant Prairie, Wis.) and Lucy Zeihen (Appleton, Wis.).

Urban Poverty (March 11-18)
Detroit

This group will work in collaboration with other colleges and universities to focus on creating sustainable change in Detroit to assist the CASS community, an agency dedicated to providing food, housing, health services and job programs in Detroit.

Participants include: Krystal Binversie (Sheboygan Falls, Wis.), Stephanie Blumer (Sun Prairie, Wis.), Margaret Ford (Fond du Lac, Wis.), John Jordan (Geneva, Ill.), Sarah Parbs (Reeseville, Wis.), Milena Pirman (Appleton, Wis.) and Josie Rolfs (Milwaukee).

Urban Education (March 12-17)
Milwaukee

This group will work at St. Anthony School and focus on helping the students there learn about what it means to go to college and will work alongside St. Norbert College alumni, using their skills as pre-service teachers in front of the classroom.

Participants include: Tessa Badtke (Sheboygan, Wis.), Joelynn Frisch (Nekoosa, Wis.), Erin Hanke (Elkhart Lake, Wis.), Kelly Heniff (Lombard, Ill.), Meghan McGorey (Cedarburg, Wis.), Maddy Miller (Hartland, Wis.), Taylor Obry (Neenah, Wis.), Anna Shallue (De Pere, Wis.), Abby Vandenhouten (Wales, Wis.) and Rebecca Wolff (Oshkosh, Wis.).

Children's Medical (March 11-17)
Iowa City, Iowa

This group will work with children and families at the University of Iowa Children's Hospital. Students will provide an opportunity for parents to rest from caring for their children, in addition to visiting other organizations related to children's health including residential facilities for families of the hospitalized children.

Participants include: Nicole Fellrath (Oakdale, Minn.), Riley Hacker (Ashwaubenon, Wis.), Lauren Hoyer (Appleton, Wis.), Katie Kyles (Green Bay, Wis.), Mara Mandli (Racine, Wis.), Kelsey Motto (Escanaba, Mich.), Lizzy Roy (De Pere, Wis.), Joey Rubin (Highland Park, Ill.), Boris Semnic (Serbia), Johnny Shepherd (Elgin, Ill.), Brittny Thackray (Sheboygan Falls, Wis.) and Shelby VanRossum (Kaukauna, Wis.).

For more information on the TRIPS program, contact Jennifer Nissen, assistant director of community service and learning at the Sturzl Center, at 920-403-3374 or jennifer.nissen@snc.edu.