Creighton University

Creighton Center for Service and Justice

• Local Community Service
• Service and Justice Trips
  • Reflections
  • Pillars
  • Community Host Partners
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• Ignatian Family Teach-In
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• Leadership Development
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Service and Justice Trips

Taking a week out of your college life to risk meeting a whole new group of people doing unusually fun and challenging service and work for a sustainable and just planet seems crazy!

Try it! You’ll like it!

Begun in 1983, the 2011 trips are the 29th year of the Spring Break Service Trips program at Creighton University. This spring we sent 216 participants to serve and learn with 27 community partners around the country.

What is a Service Trip?  
How can I find out more about Service Trips?
What kind of service is available?
When are Service Trips?
How much does it cost?
Will I need to bring any money?
Who goes on Service Trips?
Do I get to choose where I will I be going for my Service Trip?
Where will I be staying?
How do I sign up?
What are the Service Trip Pillars?
What should I bring and not bring?
What is the selection process?
How will I get there?

Service Trips are week-long trips (except 5 day Omaha trips) during Fall and Spring break on which students serve and learn with one of several community partner hosts across the country. Two trained student coordinators lead a group of 6-14 students. During the trip, you will engage in a variety of service experiences, learn about local social justice issues, and have a blast getting to know other Creighton students. 

Attend the Information Meetings.  In the meantime, ask around -- hundreds of current Creighton students have participated in just the past few years, or check out the Service and Justice Trips video. Or you can stop by the CCSJ office, Harper 2067.

There’s something for everybody: tutoring/playing with children, tutoring adults, working in soup kitchens, yard work, painting, building a house, learning about different cultures and much more!

FBST 2011 will be (possibly leaving Friday evening if it is a 2 day drive) Friday, Oct.14, 2011 - Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011. There are also half week trips that are either the first or second half of Fall Break.

SBST 2012 will be (possibly leaving Friday evening if a 2 day drive) Friday, March 2, 2012 - Saturday, March 10, 2012. 

The price of a full week Service Trip (what we charge) is $275, $175 for half week.  The cost of each trip is over $300, but this is lowered by student fundraising.

Sleeping arrangements, food at the site, transportation, and a donation to our community partner host will be taken care of. You will only need a little spending money (around $30) in case you stop for a meal on the way there or back, etc. Some sites have cultural souvenirs that you may consider bringing extra money to support local artisans, ask your coordinator for more info.

Students from every undergraduate school, Freshmen-Seniors, and some graduate students participate in the trips.  Faculty or staff interested should speak with Kelly Orbik at the CCSJ (korbik@creighton.edu or x1293).

Although we cannot guarantee your destination, we try to match students to sites of interest to them based on their application, interview, number of previous trips, and year in school.  For more information about our Service Trip Host Sites see the descriptions listed.

Each site is different.  Groups stay in churches, post-grad volunteer program houses, Catholic Worker Houses of Hospitality, or with community organizations. You will have access to showers and all necessary (though often simple!) facilities. 

Applications for FBST 2011 were due on April 8th, 2011.  Scholarship applications were due April 6th, 2011.  The application can be found online, and requires personal information, emergency contact information, and several short essays.  Payment and sign ups for interviews need be done in the CCSJ (Harper 2067) on or before April 8th as well.  This is for all general applicants, Cortina students and RAs as well!). 

The Pillars are: Service, Sustainability, Justice, Community, Simplicity, Solidarity and Reflection. The trips are grounded in these seven areas. You will learn more about what these pillars mean in the context of your trip during the Service Trip meetings.  For more information, you can read about the pillars on the Service Trip Pillars page.

You will not need much for your Service Trip. One of the pillars is Simplicity. Therefore, we ask students only to bring one bag with clothing appropriate to your site. You may also want to bring a journal.  We require that you do not bring cell phones, personal iPods, cameras, etc. (Basically we ask you to “unplug” for the week so that you can be fully present to your experience and group.)  Every group will have a group camera and a group cell phone for emergencies and to contact families when you arrive. If you must bring a cell phone, we ask you to keep it off for the week and use it for emergencies only. 

After you fill out your application, you will sign up for a 15 minute interview in the CCSJ office. The interview is to get to know you better so that we can properly place you and to let you know more about what you can expect from the Service Trip program. After the interview, we will place all applicants on a trip and post the list in the office and you will receive an email.  We try to make room for everyone who wants to go on a Service Trip.

Your group will likely travel to your site in a Creighton vehicle or rented Budget vans. If your group is staying in Omaha, you will be walking and using public transportation. Some of our other sites take public transportation as well, such as the groups who rode the bus to Chicago in 2011.