As Howard University students prepare to travel across the country for Alternative Spring Break (ASB), sophomores Layla Wade and NiKayla Tinker say their journeys with the service initiative began years before they ever set foot on campus. 

This month, Wade, a sophomore biology major from New Orleans, and Tinker, a sophomore human development major from Birmingham, Alabama, will join hundreds of Howard students traveling to serve communities nationwide. Wade will travel to Chicago, while Tinker will serve as a team leader in Asheville, North Carolina. Both say the experience brings them full circle, from their high school days yearning to come to Howard to active participants in one of the university’s marquee service initiatives. 

 “ASB gives me a deeper sense of purpose through serving others,” Tinker says.  

Wade added, “If serving is your life purpose, you will have so many opportunities here to make an impact.” 

Howard University, founded in 1867, is one of the nation’s leading historically Black research universities and is designated as an R1 institution, reflecting the highest level of research activity. The university enrolls more than 14,500 students from across the United States and more than 60 countries; and is widely recognized for producing large numbers of Black professionals and leaders across fields. 

Each spring, Howard students fan out across the country for the university’s nationally recognized Alternative Spring Break program. This year, from March 8-14, more than 1,300 students are traveling to 23 cities, working on initiatives ranging from youth mentorship and education to food and housing stability, disaster resilience, restorative justice, and community development.  

The program, coordinated through the Office of the Dean of the Chapel, has been a hallmark of Howard’s commitment to service since its founding in 1994. Alternative Spring Break is entirely student-led and offered at no cost to participants. Often referred to as “ASB,”  the program Alternative Spring Break encourages students to live out the university’s motto of in— “Truth and Service” —through hands-on engagement with communities across the country.   

Wade is a first-generation college student and the oldest of five siblings. She said the connection began during her senior year at McDonogh 35 Senior High School in New Orleans, when Howard students participating in Alternative Spring Break visited her campus to encourage students to pursue college. Wade said they were amped to learn about McDonogh 35’s legacy as the city’s first public high school for Black students. 

“When they came, they were amazing — the most sweet, bubbly people,” Wade said. “They were so happy to be in our presence and to learn more about our school and our history.” 

At the time, Wade had already been accepted to Howard through early action, but seeing the students in person reinforced her decision. 

“It made me even more motivated,” she said. “Seeing how passionate they were about service made me want to be a part of something like that.” 

This year in Chicago, Wade and fellow students expect to work with young people in local schools, mentor youth, and participate in community service projects. 

Tinker had a similar experience while attending Ramsay IB High School in Birmingham, Alabama. During her senior year, Howard students visiting through Alternative Spring Break spoke with students about service, leadership, and college life. 

“Seeing students in the exact position I would soon be in made everything feel real and solidified my decision to attend Howard,” Tinker said. 

After enrolling at Howard, Tinker immediately applied for the ASB program and was selected to serve in Chicago during her freshman year. The experience, she said, deepened her commitment to service and even helped shape her personal growth. 

“Growing up, I never imagined myself leading,” she said. “ASB has allowed me to step outside of my comfort zone and given me the courage to serve and lead without fear.” 

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