Ashland University Students Commit to Service, Raising Walls During Spring Break

ASHLAND, Ohio –Ashland University students will join more than 12,000 fellow spring breakers from across the country participating in Habitat for Humanity’s “Collegiate Challenge.”

During the week of March 10, 20 Ashland University students and three staff members will work alongside other volunteers and Habitat homeowners to build simple, decent and affordable Habitat for Humanity houses. For the fifth year in a row, AU students will forego a typical spring break to build homes for those in need. This year, Ashland University will be at one of the two largest build sites in the country with 230 other college students, building a total of 10 houses in five days at a site in Columbus, Ga.

“While many of their peers are relaxing these students are putting in hundreds of hours of hard work during Habitat’s Collegiate Challenge,” said Alynn Woodson, associate director of Habitat’s Youth Programs Department. “By the end of the week, not only have the students learned how to build a house, they’ve also seen how their actions can help improve people’s lives by providing safe, affordable shelter through a Habitat for Humanity home.”

More than 12,000 students have signed up to help build homes in 210 locations as part of this year’s Collegiate Challenge program. The program offers high school and college-age students year-round opportunities to use their vacations to serve a community by volunteering to build homes.

Ashland University senior Mike Hartz said, “This is the fourth time I have been on the Collegiate Challenge. I get more than a vacation—I can actually see the difference I am making and feel the way I spent my spring break helping others rather than laying on a beach getting sunburned.”

Throughout its 19-year history, more than 155,000 students have traveled to build Habitat houses through Habitat’s Collegiate Challenge program. During this time, students raised more than $14.6 million to pay for construction. This year alone, Collegiate Challenge students will contribute $1.5 million to help build houses.

Ashland University students, in particular, are each required to raise $500 to pay for their trip. This year, the team raised a total of $10,000 to make this trip a reality.

About Habitat for Humanity International

Habitat for Humanity International is an ecomenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built more than 250,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 1 million people. For more information, visit www.habitat.org

leaving ashland waiting in Atlanta A day late, but walls go up