Members of Rensselaer’s Habitat for Humanity campus chapter spent their spring break building homes in John’s Island, S.C. During their downtime, the group also had an opportunity to visit and tour several sites and attractions in the area, which is just outside of Charleston, S.C. Photo Credit: RPI Habitat for Humanity/David Jendras

About a dozen community service-minded students from Rensselaer spent their spring break swinging hammers, priming, pouring cement, and assembling wall sections at a Habitat for Humanity project in Johns Island, S.C. From March 5-9, the group worked alongside more than 50 students from the University of Virginia, Truman State University, and Davidson College to construct homes. The trip was part of the annual Habitat for Humanity Collegiate Challenge.

“Having the opportunity to work with students from other colleges showed me how much people everywhere care about the current housing problems that exist today,” said David Jendras, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering and the organization’s spring break coordinator. “It was wonderful to see so many enthusiastic students working side by side for a great cause. There is a sense of pride to be taken from the work done on the houses.” 

This was Rensselaer’s fifth trip to the area to work with the Sea Island Habitat for Humanity chapter. Since January, more than 19 out-of-town work groups with a total of about 350 volunteers are expected to help the chapter reach its goal of building 24 homes for the 2007 season.

Collegiate Challenge is Habitat for Humanity’s year-round alternative break program that provides opportunities for students from youth groups, high schools, and colleges to spend a week of their school break building homes in partnership with a Habitat for Humanity affiliate in the United States.

For more information about Rensselaer’s Habitat for Humanity chapter, go to: http://habitat.union.rpi.edu/.

Habitat for Humanity Slide Show

Published March 19, 2007