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Alternative Spring Break 2025 Schedule

DateItinerary
Monday, February 24Orientation and planning meeting 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. in Ackerman 112.
(rerouted up I-5 through Portland on the way home due to snow in the Cascades)
Sunday, March 23Pack cars and depart EOU by 9:00 a.m.
Follow the to the Oregon coast with stops at and
Pick up van and students joining us from the PISA conference in Portland
Arrive Rockaway Beach, OR by 8:00 p.m.
Monday, March 24WR 310/410 course reading, writing, discussion, and activities at
Visit beaches, , and cultural sites on north Oregon coast
Tuesday, March 25Drive down the coast to Newport for a guided tour of OSU’s
Visit beaches and cultural sites en route to
Mentor-led writing activities at campground (six heated yurts reserved for the camping averse)
Wednesday, March 26Continue south through to the redwoods
Small group activity at in Jedediah Smith State Park
Dinner, discussion, and mentor-led activities in Crescent City, CA
Thursday, March 27Visit , , and sites along the
Resupply and drive north to Selma, OR for dinner, reading, and discussion at Whisper Canyon Ranch
Friday, March 28Graduate school tour of University of Oregon, meeting with , Professor of Anthropology, and and Colin Johnston in the
Original plan before it started snowing: Drive up McKenzie River to the Cascades and spend last night at Suttle Lake
Actual plan due to snow: Drive to Lyle, WA. Closing night reading and discussion at the
Saturday, March 29Sleep in. Try to eat the rest of the food.
Drive back to La Grande along the Columbia, stopping at and cultural sites en route
Arrive EOU early afternoon

Wednesday, April 2WR 310/410 class meeting, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. in Ackerman 112
Wednesday, April 9Final WR 310/410 class trip: meet bus outside Hoke at 5:00 p.m. to travel to Oregon Humanities’ “” in Pendleton
Return to La Grande by 10:00 p.m.

Friday, April 18WR 310/410 journals and final writing projects due by 5:00 p.m.

Thank you to all of our sponsors, supporters, hosts, and guest speakers, without whom Alternative Spring Break 2025 would absolutely not have been possible:

EOU President Kelly Ryan, Provost Peter Geissinger, Dean Nate Lowe, and VP of Finance LeeAnn Case for supporting our vision and our mid-year budget request

Chris Huxoll at for donating four vehicles at the very last minute after Enterprise canceled our vans

Bennie Moses, Pam Fredrick, Elilai Elobt-Kailang, and students for rerouting through Portland to give us their van and Elilai’s luggage. What a trip it had.

The and the EOU Vending Committee, whose very rapid response grants made an additional day of our trip and a graduate school tour of University of Oregon possible

All of the students in the Speel-Ya and Bridging Roots clubs who shared fundraising opportunities, solicited donations, and collected cans

OSU’s , , and hosts Simone Burton, Cynthia Leonard, David Irvin, and MariAnna Hinojosa

Guest speakers Dr. Scott Fitzpatrick, tia north, Colin Johnston, and the

Khamp and Sam for joining our caravan, feeding us, navigating, hauling our extra luggage, and playing along

Sam McCumber and family for trying to feed us and welcome us to Grant County before snow foiled that plan

Our incredible hosts Peter, Leslie, and Troy at , Cody at , Elizabeth and Brian at , Ellen at the , and Petra and all of the staff at , , and the

and for funding our final field trip to Pendleton for ““

And Kelly Marriott, Kristina Wigginton, Carrie Pollard, Cassie Jeffries, Kayla Carman Standley, Dottie McInerney, Jason Hibbert, Karen Wilburn, Jordan Withers, and everyone else who finds themselves wading through all of the paperwork we have generated with this one small trip.

As Lisa King writes in “,” “Meaning making happens together, I can’t say that enough.” We can’t say that enough. Thank you, all. Looking forward to Alternative Spring Break 2026!