Below you will see the trips and
themes offered during recent past spring and winter breaks.
For more information about these trips or how to get involved, please contact the Civic and Community Engagement Center by email at ccec@ramapo.edu or by phone (201)-684-7594.
International
Aranjuez, Costa Rica
Spread Your Wings at Natuwa
Students visited Aranjuez, Costa Rica to work with the animal conservation organization, Natuwa Wildlife Sanctuary . The non-profit, founded in 1994, is passionate about preserving the beauty and diversity of Costa Rican wildlife. Through volunteer service and a culturally immersive experience, students worked with Natuwa to care for their animals including, but not limited to: macaws, parrots, monkeys, tapirs, tortoises, and big cats. Each day, students participated in morning and afternoon feedings. They collected empty dishes, prepared the food, and cleaned up the kitchen area after meals. The group was also tasked with other grounds work around the sanctuary, such as harvesting hay, cleaning enclosures, and other similar tasks. On the Friday of the trip, the group visited the waterfall and farmer’s market in Esparza. The group additionally spent time at Isla Playa Caldera (a popular beach) and the central market in Puntarenas that day.
Commuter Trips
Sandyston, New Jersey (Northwestern New Jersey)
Historic Preservation at The School of Conservation
Through boots-on-the-ground service and mini classroom sessions, five students learned firsthand about the importance of historical and environmental conservation in New Jersey. As a part of this opportunity, students also learned about the New Jersey School of Conservation’s grounds and its beginnings as a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp. Trail work and invasive species removal were the main service components – all with the goal of making the school more accessible, biodiverse, and continuing historical documentation of the area. This was a commuting trip with no overnight lodging. This trip departed from Ramapo College in the morning with students traveling together via provided transportation.
Hudson Valley, New York
Food Insecurity, FDR’s Four Freedoms, and Frances Perkins: Exploring the Origins of the Social Safety Net
The group visited the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum to gain an overview and then explored the impact and ongoing legacy of Frances Perkins. As Secretary of Labor, Perkins was the first woman to serve in a president’s cabinet. Perkins is a key figure in the development of workers’ rights and protections and the social safety net. The group also volunteered for two mornings at the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley. This was a commuter trip with no overnight lodging. The trip left Ramapo College each morning with students traveling together via provided transportation.
Out of State
New Orleans, Louisiana
Coastal Wetland Restoration with Common Ground Relief
Eight students worked alongside Common Ground Relief to plant cypress trees in order to aid in their mission of restoration of Louisiana’s coastline. The organization was originally started in 2005 with a focus on providing disaster relief after Hurricane Katrina. Headquartered in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans, the community members that made up this grassroots group saw the impacts that the hurricane had on the community in so many aspects; including environmentally. Twenty years after the storm, students worked alongside community members to help continue to restore Louisiana’s coastline, while learning about Katrina’s impact. The group also spent a day in the French Quarter.
Washington, D.C.
The Memorialization of Minorities and Genocides in Washington, D.C.
The group visited the National Museum of African American History and Culture, along with the National Museum of the American Indian, learning about the history and culture of both Black and Indigenous peoples in the United States. Students attended programming at American University, along with meeting with a member of Representative Josh Gottheimer’s (NJ-5) staff at the U.S. Capitol. Students also participated in a self-guided walking tour exploring Black history in the Nation’s Capital. The group had the opportunity to explore the National Mall and have free time as well.
Dayton, Tennessee
Trailblazers: Creating Paths and Connecting Communities in Tennessee and Beyond
The group partnered with the Cumberland Trail Conference to work on and learn about the more than 300-mile-long Cumberland Trail. The group had the opportunity to work on a section of the Piney River Trail. After days on the trail, students had the opportunity to listen to evening presentations and programming focused on environmental stewardship and the community they were residing in. The group had a day of exploration in Chattanooga, Tennessee to explore the Incline Railway and Chattanooga Zoo, along with enjoying some local bites.