At the University of Montana, leadership isn’t just a concept studied in a lecture hall—it’s a practice defined by action. This spring, 32 service-driven UM students traded their traditional Spring Break for an “Alternative Break,” traveling across the country to engage in high-impact service. These experiences are the heartbeat of the Montana Way, where leadership and service intersect to shape not only communities but the future careers of our students.
I want the work I do to matter and be greater than myself. And I want it to start here in Missoula. I hope that the work I do here brings me closer to this community.”
– Sawyer (26)
Asheville, North Carolina: Resilience in Recovery
In Asheville, North Carolina, students stepped into a community still navigating the recovery from the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene 18-months ago. The trip was a masterclass in the disaster cycle, moving beyond immediate response into the long-term stages of recovery and mitigation.
Students worked with four community partners, including the Asheville Humane Society, where they prepared nearly 700 treats and toys for the residents. However, the most profound lesson came from a community dinner with Jen, an Asheville resident and future Habitat for Humanity homeowner. Serena (29), one of the student participants, shared how impactful it was to learn about the immense personal investment required in the homeownership process. She noted that Jen was a co-builder of her own future, contributing over 200 hours of “sweat equity” to help construct the foundation of her home.
It made it very tangible what our impact was,” Serena noted, “seeing how we were supporting the incredible hard work Jen was already putting in to change her life.
The personal impact students experienced through this work was also tied to their professional goals for participants like Mathew (29), a Parks, Tourism, and Recreation Management major.
I came to Montana and chose the PTRM major because I am genuinely interested in preserving public lands,” Mathew shared. “Joining the Asheville Alternative Breaks Cohort helped me to explore careers that involve work like this and …to determine if this career path is truly right for me.
Point Reyes, California: Ecosystems and Stewardship
While one team was rebuilding infrastructure, another was in California exploring how ecosystems can teach us about community resilience. Working 8-hour days alongside the National Park Service, students braved sand dunes and woody forests to protect the environment.
The team at Point Reyes transformed their time into a measurable environmental impact, dedicating nearly 400 cumulative hours of service to the protection of California’s coastal biodiversity. By clearing two and a half football fields worth of invasive plants, students provided the necessary breathing room for many endangered species to thrive, directly contributing to the long-term resilience of the local ecosystem. This intensive restoration work served as a laboratory for leadership, where students saw firsthand how consistent, collective action can safeguard a community’s natural foundation.
Charlie (28), a student lead, observed that humans are an ingrained part of the ecosystem and that resilience often requires a “checks and balances” approach. The team learned that when one part of the system is overwhelmed, the community must step in to “clear the area” together.
Beyond these biological field skills, students developed the capacity for change and team-building techniques that are directly applicable to any future work environment. And for students like Madeline (26), a senior studying Environmental Science and Sustainability, this experience was as much professional as it was personal.
Alternative Breaks provides accessible opportunities that will further strengthen my career development and expand my knowledge,” Madeline shared. “My career experience in restoration projects was limited, but this trip provided a great way not only to gain experience but to create positive change in a damaged ecosystem.
Seattle, Washington: Empowerment Through Connection
In Seattle, the focus shifted to the “interconnected thread” of a community: its people. Students partnered with eight different organizations, including the Roots Young Adult Shelter, to understand how a community thrives when the needs of its most vulnerable members are met. This high-volume work allowed students to gain hands-on experience in logistics, large-scale food security programming, and advocacy—the very foundation of professional community support.
The impact in Seattle was defined by a massive scale of logistical coordination and direct support for the city’s youth. By partnering with local nonprofits, this student cohort provided over 4,000 meals—a feat that secured a critical six-week food supply for the Backpack Brigade of Seattle. This high-volume work served as the necessary foundation, ensuring that the community’s most immediate survival needs were met before moving toward long-term support.
Recognizing that true resilience requires more than just physical resources, the team expanded its efforts to focus on the long-term dignity and empowerment of young adults. By creating 100 bedsheets, streamlining essential hygiene pantries, and engaging with arts-based advocacy, students learned that a community thrives most when its members are supported holistically.
Navigating these diverse service environments allowed students to step into the roles of advocates and project managers, proving that professional leadership is a blend of empathy and strategic precision. For students like Zachery (28), a Social Work major and International Development Studies minor, the experience offered a direct window into his future.
Alternative Breaks is closely connected to what I’m interested in as my future career,” Zachery shared. “Through this program, I gained a better understanding of how these organizations support young people in ways that are respectful, strengths-based, and relationship-focused—an understanding I will take with me in my future career.
Bringing the Lessons Home: The Missoula Connection
The impact of these experiences didn’t end when the students returned to Missoula. To help bridge the gap between national service and local action, leaders from organizations like the Missoula Food Bank & Community Center, Blackfoot Challenge, Climate Smart Missoula, and the American Red Cross met with the cohorts to discuss how to apply their new skills right here at home.
These experts emphasized that while the students brought back valuable outside perspectives and research, the key to local impact is listening to the voices already at the table.
Jennifer Schoonen, from the Blackfoot Challenge, noted the importance of fostering “respectful conversations across the table” to guide community priorities.
Resilience starts when people start talking to each other.
By learning to balance local expertise with fresh ideas, students are discovering how to integrate themselves into Missoula’s own “interconnected thread” of service. Whether through advocating for the environment with Climate Smart Missoula or volunteering at the food bank, the students are transforming their Spring Break lessons into a lifelong habit of community engagement.
The Student Outcome: Career-Ready Leaders
While the tangible, lasting impact made in communities across the nation remains the true heart of an Alternative Break, the experience also serves as a powerful catalyst for personal and professional growth. This is reflected in the outcomes of the 2025 cohorts, where 80% of students reported that their volunteer work directly influenced their major or career path. These trips serve as a high-impact foundation for the Montana Way, forging career-ready graduates who possess the rare ability to navigate complex organizational structures and foster community resilience under pressure.
Whether they are coordinating large-scale logistics, communicating with empathy across diverse populations, or applying strategic frameworks to solve environmental and social challenges, students return to campus with a sophisticated toolkit of adaptive leadership and professional skills. By working alongside experts in the field, they bridge the gap between academic theory and workplace application, graduating as emerging leaders who understand that career success is built on the same foundation as meaningful service: the courage to engage, the capacity to collaborate, and the vision to build a more resilient world.
The Alternative Breaks program proves that when students step out of their comfort zones to serve others, they aren’t just helping a community—they are building the foundation of their own professional future. That is the Montana Way.
This intentional transformation is at the core of the Alternative Breaks program, which is designed to integrate UM’s Career Readiness Competencies into every student experience. These competencies are a set of ten core professional skills that employers across all industries identify as essential for success in the modern workplace. On alternative Breaks, participants do more than volunteer; they sharpen Critical Thinking by solving complex problems, build Teamwork through diverse collaborations, and uphold a sense of Professionalism in high-stakes environments. From mastering Communication to fostering Career & Self-Development, students graduate with a set of marketable skills that prepare them for the highest level of success in any field.
To see the full framework of these professional benchmarks, explore UM’s Career Readiness Competencies on our website.
