Alternative Spring Break is an alternative to the usual spring break. Students travel to a location outside of Jacksonville to learn about another culture and to assist people with projects that meet community needs. Students have traveled to other states such as North Carolina and Kentucky to help farmers and low-income youth. In 2006, students went to New Orleans to work on homes damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Students have also traveled internationally to Costa Rica, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic.
Best Buddies is a national program that matches college students with people with intellectual disabilities in one-to-one friendships. JU's Best Buddies Club partners with L'Arche Harbor House in Jacksonville. Best Buddies participate in monthly group outings such as bowling, going to the Zoo, and having dinner at a nice restaurant.
http://www.bestbuddies.org/
Big Brothers Big Sisters offers mentoring programs that match JU students with children and youth in the community. Students older than age 21 can be a community mentor. Students who are younger than 21 can opt to mentor a child at a local school during the regular school day.
http://www.bbbsjax.org/
High Expectations is a mentoring program for middle school students at Fort Caroline Middle School. JU students visit their mentees once per week at the child's school and commit to at least one semester of participation. The focus of the mentoring program is to help middle school youth achieve school success.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Up 'til Dawn project is a collegiate fundraising program to benefit children from around the world who receive medical treatment at St. Jude's regardless of the family's ability to pay. Students organize into teams to raise the funds and to win prizes. JU students have raised thousands of dollars to help children with cancer.
http://www.stjude.org/