Amelia Ciarleglio ’27
Features Editor
This spring break, Holy Cross students took off across the country in the admirable pursuit of serving communities through Holy Cross’s very own Spring Break Immersion Program (SBIP). I had the incredible opportunity to interview four awesome members of the Class of 2026 who are truly a great example of men and women for and with others.
In New York, Ann O’Malley, an amazing Spring Break Immersion veteran, volunteered at Freedom Farm Community, a faith-based organization which sustainably grows and shares fresh produce with individuals who can not afford it. The group spent time immersed in nature as they worked in the fields “harvesting spinach…and planting vegetables.” O’Malley loved being a part of the “inner workings of a heartfelt community” and appreciated how welcoming the community was. She emphasized that her time at the Freedom Farm left her with “a renewed appreciation for the importance of local food systems and sustainable agriculture.” The Spring Break Immersion program provides Holy Cross students like O’Malley with invaluable hands-on experience which allows them to engage and serve communities while discovering new appreciation for the natural world.
Ashwin Prabaharan, a dedicated Spring Break Immersion group leader, shared his incredible and life-changing experience with the program. This year, Prabaharan and three other students went to Washington D.C. to volunteer at L’Arche USA, a non-profit organization which works to advance the rights and inclusion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The L’Arche community was a tight-knit group and Prabaharan greatly enjoyed “cooking in every one of them for the groups’ dinners” and “bonding with the community through playing competitive board games.” Prabaharan said every moment was “truly rewarding” and he “highly encourages every student to sign up for this wonderful experience!”
Viveca Stucke, another wonderful site leader, travelled to Louisville, Kentucky and volunteered with Hand in Hand Ministries. Despite the incredibly muddy and rainy conditions, her site group successfully built a wheelchair ramp. When asked about what part of the trip was her favorite, Stucke emphasized that “seeing my group’s hard work and dedication in a physical manifestation with the ramp was remarkable.” The group’s commitment to serving the Louisville community and Stucke’s leadership are both admirable. Stucke loved her time working in collaboration with Hand in Hand Ministries and she expressed “I would love to visit Hand in Hand more once I graduate to be able to do some more work with them.” Members of SBIP have a passion for service that transcends their time at Holy Cross.
Close by in Kentucky was another Holy Cross Spring break Immersion Site led by the kind-hearted Caroline Kramer. Throughout the experience, Kramer fostered a strong sense of community amongst her site members and local residents. Kramer recalled one of the most inspirational moments on the trip was when a member of the community told her his life motto is “”TPA – Total Positive Attitude.”” Kramer loved the motto and stated she will “definitely carry that simple yet powerful mindset with me.” During the team’s construction of the wheelchair ramp, Kramer expressed how much she enjoyed gaining “hands-on building experience” and bonding with her team members. Kramer stated that, “Above all else, it was so rewarding to know that I was able to make someone’s life a little bit easier and give back in some way to a place that was giving so much to me.”
The Holy Cross Spring Break Immersion program is truly one of the most impactful programs the college offers as it brings together a community of students dedicated to helping others. Thank you to everyone who made this year’s SBIP possible. Your dedication to service is making the world a better place.
Copy Edited by Sophia Mariani ’26
Featured image courtesy of @CollegeoftheHoly Cross on Instagram
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