Honors colloquium builds in Birmingham with Habitat for Humanity during break

03/06/09 - For most college students, spring break has become synonymous with bathing suits and beaches. However, many University of Rhode Island students are looking forward to using their week away from the books to do something a little more meaningful. This year's honors program colloquium gives URI students the chance to do just that. The program, called "Academic Alternative Spring Break: Classrooms Without Borders," provides an immersive curriculum about the definition and cycle of poverty.

The 27 students enrolled in the class will spend the semester learning about all aspects of poverty, including the working poor and political, social and community action, Gail Faris, assistant director of the women's center and head of the program, explained.

The group's work is in preparation toward a trip during spring break, which will send the students to Birmingham, Ala. as part of Habitat for Humanity's Collegiate Challenge program.

"Every year in the fall, Habitat for Humanity puts up its collegiate challenge program on its site" Faris said. "Then we choose a location, looking at things like the distance and logistics."

The program, which is in its fourth year, also went to Birmingham last spring. In the past, URI students have also gone to Albany, Ga. and Slidell, La.

"We do try to choose a place where it's warm. Students are giving up enough time and resources, they should at least get to go to a warm climate," Faris said.

For both the group and Habitat for Humanity, Birmingham is considered in desperate need of service. While the program considers the needs of other areas in the country that have been hit with natural disasters, they have chosen to focus on areas in "chronic" need of assistance.

With its longstanding history of civil rights movements and a rocky social and economic climate, Birmingham seemed like an area in need of URI student's help, Faris said.

Prior to this year's trip, the students have studied these particular issues pertaining to the history of Birmingham.

"We go back to the 1960s and examine the civil rights movement and see how in 1963, through community action, they achieved social change," Faris said.

To get further prepared for the work to be done in Birmingham, the students worked with the South County Habitat for an afternoon. They became acquainted with the program and oriented about working in construction.

On March 15, the students will be arriving in Birmingham individually. They will then be brought to a church in Birmingham via two shuttle vans that will be provided for the group. The local church's basement is equipped with bunk beds, where the students will be sleeping, and a fully functional kitchen. The students will be in charge of cooking their own meals for the week.

During their stay in Birmingham, the students will not only work on constructing new houses, but fixing dilapidated houses around town.

"People already in the community get new siding and leaky roofs fixed," Faris said. However, not all of the week will be spent working. On their day off, the students will tour Birmingham, seeing many historical buildings and landmarks.

During the tour, they will see Kelly Ingram Park, where the iconic news images of police attacking protesters with dogs and fire hoses took place. Another stop on the tour is the 16th Street Baptist Church, which was bombed in 1963, killing four girls. The students will also visit the Civil Rights Institute.

"It's always a thrill because you see the students are really eager to go, and having the experience seeing them work-it's almost like you see light bulbs going off in their heads," Faris said.

Their trip was made possible through donations from Student Affairs, the President's Office and the Center for Ethics and Public Service at the university. URI will be paying for student's insurance and affiliate fees, as well as the cars and food.

"We've been designated a university with a conscience, and this is part of that conscience," Faris said. "And it [costs] less than if they were going to Mexico.