student walking away from camera in desert canyon wearing an MSU flag like a cape

What is BreaksAway?

BreaksAway is MSU's Alternative Spring Break Program. On BreaksAway trips, students travel outside of Bozeman to volunteer their time over spring and summer break at various organizations. These trips are primarily in the US but we do offer international trips occasionally. The communities we partner with offer opportunities to learn about and experience challenges that may not exist in Bozeman, or are on a much smaller scale. As a result students come back to MSU with an enhanced understanding of the diverse issues that face our national and global communities. These communities see tangible results from these projects, while students gain new skills, perspectives, and relationships. Trips are organized by the Office of Student Engagement and are led by two MSU student Site Leaders. BreaksAway has been a program of the Office of Student Engagement since 1996.

 

Breaksway Logo is an outline of the United States with the words "The week that lasts a lifetime" underneath

Mission of BreaksAway

The mission and purpose of the BreaksAway program is to cultivate in MSU students a spirit of community involvement and to nurture service leaders who will give back to our state, nation, and the world. MSU students work together with communities around the U.S. to promote life-long community involvement and critical thinking about our societal challenges and the roles each one of us can play in addressing those challenges.

Applications for Spring 2025 BreaksAway Leaders are now open!

Spring 2025 Trips: March 15th-23rd, 2025

Trip Locations

Travel to the Oregon Coast to stay at and work with Rangers at the South Beach State Park in South Beach, Oregon.

Students on this trip will learn more about conversation and recreation issues while leaving a lasting impact on the State Park, improving it for visitors to enjoy for years to come!

This group will be driving to their location in MSU rented vehicles and staying in heated yurts in the park. 

Trip cost: TBD

Students will be driving down to the desert to work with the Greater Alburquerque Habitat for Humanity at their ReStore and potnetially on a home building site!

Students will learn more about the issues of housing affordability and access while working to make a difference in the lives of families in the Alburquerque area. 

This group is driving to their location in MSU rented vehicles and will be staying in accomodations arranged by MSU.

Trip Cost: TBD

Lend a helping hand to those impacted by Hurrican Milton by assisting with rebuilding and relief efforts in Pasco County Florida. 

Students will learn about disaster relief efforts while having a tangible impact on a community that lost a lot during Hurricane Milton.

This group will be flying to Tampa, FL and driving to thier final location in MSu rented vehicles and staying in accomodations provided by the project partner, All Hands and Hearts. 

Trip Cost: TBD

How to get involved

Participant FAQ’s

Applications to participate in a trip will open after Thanksgiving Break on December 2nd!

Trip Leader Applications are open until November 15th!

Participants are required to put down a $150 deposit to hold their spot on the trip. Trips fill up quickly and are first come, first serve!

This depends on the host site. In the past we have worked in homeless shelters, built trails, tutored kids, built houses and more! Specific trip details will be posted when applications go live!

This varies from site to site, however, the groups tend to work a typical day, 8am-5pm, Mon.-Fri., with breaks throughout the day and evenings free for activities.

OSE and trip leaders will locate housing at local churches, community centers, campgrounds or airbnb's, to keep the cost of the trips low. Volunteers often sleep on floors or cots and utilize the kitchen and shower facilities in these spaces.

The trip participants and leaders are given per diems ($20/day) for meals, which is a part of their trip fee. Groups typically buy food together and cook at their housing site.

Driver Training

If you are interested and willing to be a driver for your BreaksAway group, you will need to email kimberley.cleary@montana.edu to get instructions on how to take a defensive driving course ahead of your trip.

In order to drive the 7-passenger vans or SUV’s, you MUST complete this training.


*If you have taken either the 15-passenger van training, driver safety for campuses, Defensive Driving DDC-4, the online defensive driving (for 7-10 passenger), or another approved defensive driving course WITHIN the last 3 years, you DO NOT need to take the training again. Please contact Kim at kimberley.cleary@montana.edu and she will help you determine if you already meet this qualification.

 

This is dependent on trip location. Fees include meals, housing and transportation. Personal spending or emergency funds are not included.  

The typical trip has 12 students, including 2 student leaders. However, this varies from year to year and the host site capabilities.

All trips will travel in mini vans (2 per trip if group has more than 7 participants). Participants and leaders share the driving responsibility.

Departure and return dates will be to the discretion of the group. Typically, groups leave on Saturday and return the following weekend.

No, all trips are led by student Site Leaders. They act as liaisons, facilitators, and go-to people before and during the trips. OSE staff serve as the on-campus emergency contacts.

Yes!  All trips are substance-free. The consumption of alcohol and illegal drug use represents a major liability to the program, the health of participants, the cohesion of our groups, and the relationships we have with our host sites. This policy applies to all participants, regardless of age.

Yes, you must be a MSU-Bozeman student. International MSU students are encouraged to participate, keeping in mind any travel restrictions they may have with their student Visas. ACE Language students are not eligible to participate.

Yes, however, there is no guarantee that enough spots will remain for all of you. If you plan to participate with friends, please sign-up the first day of open registration and get in line early! 

Before signing up, please keep in mind that as a participant on the trips you are an active member of the group, which includes attending attending a BreaksAway Orientation and approximately 2-3 meetings with your group and leaders before you leave. One of these meetings will include teambuilding activities to help you get to know your fellow participants better.  

Apply to be a Spring BreaksAway Leader for Spring 2025!

BreaksAway Site Leader FAQ’s

BreaksAway Site Leaders oversee the entire break experience, from educating the participants, handling daily logistics, and managing conflict within the group. There are two student co-leaders on each trip. 

  • Attend mandatory Site Leader orientation/training held during the fall semester.

  • Organize and co-lead 2-3 pre-trip planning meetings with trip participants that include trip logistics and education for the issue you will be working with.

  • Participate in a pre-trip teambuilding experience with your group.

  • Attend meetings with OSE Community Engagement Program Manager and other Leaders leading up to the trips.

  • Work cooperatively with the co-leader to consistently address the needs and safety of the group throughout.

  • Help finalize and confirm trip logistics by working with the host site.

  • Delegate responsibilities to individuals in the group before, during and after the trip.

  • Take responsibility to handle all emergencies and/or conflicts that may arise while on the trip.

  • If able, agree to be one of the trip van drivers.

  • Agree to enforce all MSU policies for student travel plus MSU BreaksAway Alcohol/Drug policy. (Reminder:  these are substance free trips!)

  • Responsible to lead a daily reflection session and end of service closing with the group.

  • Help organize, promote and lead a post trip celebration for all MSU BreaksAway participants, their friends, families and any interested parties on campus.

  • Assist in participant recruitment/public relations.

  • Maintain consistent and positive communication with your co-leader, your participants and OSE.

  • Build group facilitation techniques and skills.

  • Enhance problem-solving skills.

  • Opportunitiy for First Aid/CPR training.
  • Leadership workshop opportunities with professionals.

  • Gain professional leadership experience to note on personal resumes.

  • Enjoy the satisfaction of giving.

  • Travel and experience a different community.

  • Receive a reduced cost  BreaksAway trip!

  • $500 Stipend awarded after trip compeltion.

Pre-Trip: Expect to contribute about 15-20 hours during the summer/fall semester for trip planning and leader training.  Time involved will increase as the trips come closer during the spring semester. 

During the trip: you will be required to have March 14th at 5:00pm - March 23rd at 10:00pm dedicated for the trip. 

Post-Trip:  Expect to contribute about 3-5 more hours after the trips are over for wrap-up meetings, celebration preparation and attending the celebration.

Site Leaders will work with their co-leaders and OSE to plan a trip with a "theme" that both aligns with their passions as well as meets educational needs of a BreaksAway trip. 

Potential trip themes (not an exhuasstive list- you can work with OSE to come up with something unique!):

  • Climate Change & Justice
  • Homelessness
  • Hunger & Food Insecurity
  • Immigration & Refugees
  • Healthcare Inequality
  • Education 
  • Conservation
  • Historical Preservation
  • And so much more!

 

 

 

South Beach, Oregon - 10 students served 300 hours with the South Beach State Park and the Marine Science Center. They planted trees, cleaned trash, cleared trails and learned about invasive species management! Their work will be enjoyed by over 50,000+ visitors each year. 

South Beach, OR - 14 students served 350 hours with the South Beach Oregon State Park and the impact of their work will be felt by over 50,000+ park visitors each year!

Moab, UT - 12 students served 408 hours with the Youth Garden Project helping them rejuvinate their outdoor classroom spaces and begin their spring planting. 

13 students served 390 hours with the South Beach State Park in Oregon. They worked on revegetation and maintenence within the park. The group travelled 1786 miles.

Our 2021 trips were cancelled due to COVOD-19.

Our 2020 trips were cancelled due to COVID-19.

32 students served 846 hours in 4 different locations across the US and over 4005 individuals and various rescue animals were impacted. 6578 total miles were traveled.

Gila National Forest, NM

San Francisco, CA Glide

Phoenix, AZ Refugee Focus

Kanab, UT Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

47 students gave 1197.5 hours and impacted over 5100 individual and animals in 4 different locations in the US.

Silver City, NM Gila National Forest

San Francisco, CA Glide

Phoenix, AZ Refugee Focus

Valentine, AZ Keepers of The Wild

42 students gave 1,682 hours in 4 different locations across the US!  Great job BreaksAway 2017 participants!

Kanab, UT Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

Kansas City, MO Operation Breakthrough

Silver City, NM Gila National Forest

San Francisco, CA Glide

Phoenix, AZ Refugee Focus

San Francisco, CA - Glide, Daily Meals program for the homeless

Silver City, NM - Gila National Forest, Trail Maintenance

Phoenix, AZ - Lutheran Social Services, Refugee Support

Volunteers served these Montana communities as part of the Big Sky BreaksAway:

Boulder

Ekalaka

Hamilton (Ravalli County)

Kalispell

Lame Deer

Sidney

San Francisco, CA - Glide, Daily Meals program for the homeless

Silver City, NM - Gila National Forest, Trail Maintenance

Seattle, WA-Lifelong AIDS Alliance, support programs

San Francisco, CA - Glide, Daily Meals program for the homeless

Phoenix, AZ - Lutheran Social Services, Refugee Support

Denver, CO - Denver Homeless Ministries, Homeless Youth Outreach

Silver City, NM - Gila National Forest, Trail Maintenance

Choteau, MT - Old Trail Museum, Historical Preservation

San Francisco, CA - Glide, Daily Meals program for the homeless

Phoenix, AZ - Lutheran Social Services, Refugee Support

Arcata, CA - Friends of the Dunes, Sand Dune Restoration

Silver City, NM - Gila National Forest, Trail Maintenance

Kansas City, MO - Operation Breakthrough, Working with kids in poverty

San Francisco, CA - Glide

Phoenix, AZ - Lutheran Social Services, Refugee Support

Near Grand Canyon- Grand Canyon Trust

Virginia City, MT - Virginia City Historical Society

Near Grand Canyon - Grand Canyon Trust

Phoenix, AZ - Save the Family, Homeless Family Services

New Orleans, LA - New Orleans City Park, Restoration, Hurrican Relief

Near Grand Canyon - Grand Canyon Trust

Phoenix, AZ - Save the Family, Homelss Family Services

Alexandria, LA - Hurricane Relief, Habitat for Humanity

Glacier National Park - Building Restoration Project

Near Grand Canyon - Grand Canyon Trust

Portland, OR - Downtown Food Pantry

Alexandria, LA - Hurricane Relief, Habitat for Humanity

Alexandria, LA - Hurricane Relief, Habitat for Humanity

Phoenix, AZ - Save the Family, Homelss Family Services

Kanab, UT- Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

Arcata National Park -  Friends of the Dunes

Gila National Park - Continental Divide Trail Building

Kansas City, MO - Operation Breakthrough, Daycare for Homeless Children

Oceanside, CA - Stand Up for Kids

Arcata National Park - Friends of the Dunes

Gila National Park - Continental Divide Trail Building

Kansas City, MO - Project Breakthrough

Kanab, UT -  Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

Oakland, CA - St. Elizabeth Elementary School, Aides to Teach for America Teachers

Saguaro National Park - Trails, Restoration, and Native Plants

Gila National Park - Continental Divide Trail Building

Kanab, UT -  Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

Oakland, CA – Aid to the Homeless