Civic Engagement & Service

Bulls Service Break

Education and direct service are key to the BSB experience, however our primary concern is to preserve the health and wellness of USF students, faculty, and staff, and the communities in which BSB engages. 

Applications are open for 2023-2024.

Bulls Service Breaks (BSB) is the USF Tampa campus alternative service breaks program in the CLCE. The goal of the experience is to engage in immersive, reflective programs and services focused on moving students from Volunteers to Conscientious to Community Collaborators on the Community Collaborator Continuum. BSB is a part of a national movement whose purpose is to raise awareness of root causes of social issues and injustices through education, direct service, and immersive cultural exchange. Each BSB trip is rooted in the Break Away Nine Components of a Quality Alternative Break, which are: strong direct service, orientation, education, training, reflection, reorientation, diversity and social justice, and full engagement. The social issues explored on each BSB Trip align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 

The BSB experience consists of three critical parts:

  • Pre-Trip Transformation: Prepare participants for on-site, immersive experience and provide initial education, orientation and training about site-specific social issues
  • On-Trip Immersion: Participants work alongside communities to look critically at the root causes of social issues and evaluate the role they have in the community.
  • Post-Trip Re-Orientation: Participants commit to find avenues for continued community involvement and take action locally

Trip issues (UN Sustainable Development Goals) for 2023-2024 include: climate action, human rights with a focus on workers' rights, no poverty and afforable housing, and children and healthcare. Trips costs are all inclusive (lodging, meals, transportation, educational materials, travel health insurance).  

BSB Structure

Each BSB trip is student-led by a team of two Trip Leaders and is staff-supported by a professional Trip Advisor, and has 9 student participants to total 12 travelers. 

BSB Trip Advisors 

A professional USF advisor is a required component for each BSB trip. The role of the BSB Trip Advisor is to advise and supervise the two student Trip Leaders who lead nine participants on the service trip experience. While the Trip Leaders are responsible for coordinating all logistics and educational components of the trip, the Advisor supports these functions while serving as the financial and risk manager for the safety and protection of both the students and university resources. Successful applicants are passionate about working with students in high energy environments, committed to social justice, effective at motivating and organizing teams, are very organized, and have positive, fun attitudes. Trip Advisors must have contractual employment at USF and the ability to assume responsibility for a rental vehicle. Advisors can be faculty or administrative staff. 

BSB Student Leaders

The BSB Student Leaders are responsible for developing participants as Conscientious Citizens through the development and implementation of logistics for their specific BSB trip. BSB Trip Leaders are typically selected in March/April to lead trips for the following year.  Student leaders must have participated in a weeklong immersive service experience in the past, preferably BSB, to be eligible.  Send an email to civicengagement@usf.edu to express interest.

BSB Trip Participants

BSB Trip Participants are selected after an application and interview process.  The main role of each trip participant is engage in the experience as a Contentious Citizen, concerned with discovering root causes of social issues and committed to becoming Active Citizens who create positive change. Successful applicants have prior volunteer experience, a servant-leader attitude, and commit to full engagement in BSB beginning form the application process through re-orientation. 

BSB Trip Destinations and Cost

The CLCE annually offers a varierty of domestic trips monthly during the academic year that range from 1-8 days. Trip issues (UN Sustainable Development Goals) for 2023-2024 include: climate action, human rights with a focus on workers' rights, no poverty and afforable housing, and children and healthcare. Trips costs are all inclusive (lodging, meals, transportation, educational materials, travel health insurance) and range in cost from $15-$150.  

Occasionally, the  CLCE offers international alternative break experiences. Depending on the destination these have occured during winter break, spring break, and summer break. Trips costs are location dependent (lodging, meals, transportation, experiences), plus flight.

All costs must be paid in full prior to trip departure and each student is responsible for their own payments. Individual fundraising is encouraged and supported.

BSB Participant Timeline

The 2023-2024 Timeline is subject to change. 

LATE SPRING 2023

  • Applications open for Student Leaders and Faculty/ Staff Advisors. Send an email to civicengagement@usf.edu to express interest.
  • Student leader and advisor interviews
  • Student Leaders and advisors selected and notified
  • Summer training and development

FALL 2023

  • Interest sessions for spring participants
  • Applications open until filled on BullsConnect.
  • First pre-trip meeting for spring participants
  • $10 commitment deposit due one month before departure and $50 Commitment deposit due before winter break for spring participants
  • End of Semester weekend Mini-BSB to Shy Wolf Sanctuary

EARLY SPRING 2024

  • Pending availability, transfer and spring new student applications open for spring participants
  • Pre-trip transformation (meetings, pre-service, fundraising, etc.) for spring participants
  • Balance for experience due for spring participants

SPRING BREAK 2024: On-trip Immersion

LATE SPRING 2024

  • Post-trip re-orientation projects 
  • BSB banquet celebration

Key momentS in BSB HISTORY

The First Puerto Rico Service & Adventure Trip

A collaboration between Campus Recreation Outdoor Adventure Trips and the Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement Bulls Service Breaks program, the Puerto Rico Service Trips was designed for students who have a passion for nature and outdoor education and volunteer service. The trip focused on the UN Sustainable Development Goal: Life on Land. Participants worked in El Yunque, the only tropical National Rain Forest in the National Forest Service system, and Hacienda Tres Angeles, a family owned organic coffee farm, where they rebuilt trails and replanted crops. For more information on the May 2022 experience, and to sign up, click here.

View the photo album for the first Puerto Rico Service Adventure Trip here. You can also read more about the initiative in this news article.

  

If you have any questions about BSB, please email CLCE@usf.edu.