Service and Community Engagement

Alternative Service Breaks (ASB) is a student organization at the University of Kentucky that aims to bring students from members of their community to active citizens through high-quality service immersion opportunities in Kentucky, across the United States, and around the world.

Alternative Service Breaks is affiliated with Break Away, a national organization that provides curriculum and a network with over 100 affiliated schools and more than 400 community-based organizations. With so many different issues to focus on and locations to travel to, students are sure to find the right alternative service break experience for them. Regardless of which service trip a student chooses, they are guaranteed to come away from the experience with new connections, new knowledge, a renewed sense of self, and a renewed desire to serve.

Involvement in UK ASB does not begin and end with service trips. Rather, it extends throughout the academic year with orientation sessions, educational programs, service projects, fundraising events, and of course a reunion gathering! This group expects that UK ASB volunteers make a full-year commitment to participating in UK ASB, and challenge volunteers to extend their commitment to the community service beyond their participation in UK ASB. ASB’s goal is to build future leaders that are active, conscientious citizens. 

For more information on Alternative Service Breaks at the University of Kentucky, please contact them at alternativebreaks@ukcco.org.

Service and Community Engagement is excited to announce the newest student leadership position in the Office of Student Orgs and Activities: Volunteer Advisors! 

The Volunteer Advisor position was created as a way to begin bridging the gap between students at the University of Kentucky and the numerous community groups/nonprofits/agencies that call Lexington/Fayette county home.

UK students can seek out their Volunteer Advisor peers to learn more about how they can get involved in the Lexington community, and how they can start to identify different causes, campaigns, or movements that they are passionate about. Via one-on-one or group meetings (based on student preference), Volunteer Advisors will meet with students to talk with them about their current interests and passions, as well as what sort of commitments they’re willing to make. This way, the Volunteer Advisors are able to make suggestions of volunteer and service activities that meet both the needs of the student and the community partners.

Volunteer Advisors will begin meeting with students around mid-September in the fall 2023 semester and will continue meeting with students both virtually and in-person until the end of the academic year. If you would like more information about Volunteer Advisors and how to make an appointment to meet with one, please reach out to us at volunteerUK@uky.edu.