George Mason University
AC-5: Immersive Experience

Mason’s one-week Alternative Break (AB) programs are collaboratively designed by students, community organizations and staff to address social issues through education and community service. In 2019-2020, students participated in ecosystem restoration in Stuart, Florida, investigated environmental justice in Camden, New Jersey, and contributed to climate resilience in Puerto Rico. Students emerge from these experiences transformed with new ideas, perspective, and experiences that inspire active and engaged citizenship. Students work in partnership with host organizations on community-driven goals, focused on a particular social justice topic.

In addition to the Alternative Break program, Mason offers semester long immersive experience at The Smithsonian Mason School of Conservation in which students spend an entire semester getting hands on experience with prominent conservationists, researchers, and educators. This immersive experience offers two programs: Conservation, Biodiversity, and Society (CBS) and Wildlife Ecology and Conservation (WEC). These programs offer a unique opportunity to learn about conservation biology within the social, economic, and political context. Students also learn sustainable living and life style skills by living in a dorm which is LEED certified.

Mason also coordinates a Bonner Leader Program which is a four year service and leadership program that places students with local nonprofit organizations to work on community identified needs. As part of that program, Mason pairs some students with a number of environmental organizations. For instance, in 2022-2023, students worked with Mason's University Sustainability office, Northern Virginia Science Foundation, and the Northern Virginia Soil & Water Conservation District for 8-10 hours per week over the academic year.