Mission Trips

Make a Difference on a Service Trip

Do you want to make a difference in the lives of others? Service trips engage students in service and justice projects around the city, country, and world! They coincide with an OSU break in classes during the fall, spring, or summer, which allows students a great way to put their faith into action by reaching out to help others while working towards social change. Any OSU student is welcome to apply, regardless of worldview or faith belief.

2012 Spring Break Service Trips

March 17-24: New Jersey Service Trip; Cost $295. We will be engaging in the FaithJustice XPerience, engaging in a variety of service projects to soup kitchens, housing projects, and work with adults with disabilities. We stay in a retreat center in Lawrenceville, NJ at the Center for Faith Justice, and will be partnering with another campus ministry from another college, living and working together. In our free time, we will get to explore the beautiful Jersey Shore and Princeton, NJ! Last year, 18 students had an amazing experience on this service trip! Learn more about the Center for FaithJustice!

March 18-23: Christian Appalachia Project: WorkFest Program, KY; Cost $295. We wil lbe parterning with many different college groups in teams of 7-12 students, working on 1-2 homes during the week. Projects may include roofing, hanging drywall, flooring, painting, siding, window replacement, insulation, underpinning, and new home construction. There will also be opportunities for learning and spirituality. Learn more about the WorkFest Program!

Brought to You in Part By Your Student Activity Fee

The Catholic Students Association and St. Thomas More Newman Center partner together to sponsor fall and spring service trips each year. The cost to participate in these trips are $295 per person. The fee includes the cost of van rentals, gasoline, tolls, public transportation, most meals (all except those on travel days and two dinners), lodging, and other program related expenses. Service trips are funded in part by the Student Activity Fee at OSU as well as support from the Newman Center.

Service Trip Information Nights

If you are interested in learning more and wanting to hear from student leaders about these trips before you apply, there will be two service trip information nights on Tuesdays, Jan. 10 and Jan. 17 from 8 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. in the Student Lounge on the third floor of the Newman Center. These are not required for you to apply or participate; if you wish to come to one of them to learn more, you are more than welcome to listen and ask questions.

Service Trip Application Details

Applications for the spring break service trips will be open Jan. 7-22. All applications are due on Jan. 22 by midnight. The link will open online to apply on Jan. 7.

Important Details to Read Before Applying:

Read through all of details below.
Apply online on this page. Only current OSU students may apply, though students of all worldviews, faith traditions, and backgrounds are welcome.
The online system will state "registration is currently full, you will be placed on a waiting list." Please disregard this statement, as all students are placed on a waiting list until the applications can be reviewed; this does not mean the trips are full. Apply anyway.
You will be asked to mark which trip is your number one choice. With the large number of applicants we receive, you will have a better chance of being accepted to a trip if you are open to serve on either trip.
Drinking alcohol is not allowed on our service trips, even if you are legally of age.
You will be prompted to put in your payment information online via credit card or e-check. If accepted, your payment method will be charged the full amount for the trip.
If accepted, there is a mandatory service trip orientation for the Appalachia Trip on Sunday, Jan. 29 at 3 p.m. at the Newman Center, 64 W. Lane Ave., third floor, in the Social Hall. For those on the New Jersey trip, we will schedule a meeting shortly. There is extra paperwork and forms to fill out that must be completed at this meeting to send into the agencies we are working with. For those accepted for the Appalachia program, there is one additional mandatory meeting on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 3 p.m.
Applications are reviewed anonymously after we have guaranteed we have enough volunteer drivers who are 21 and over for our vans and also have a good gender and class balance of students. Your responses to the questions on the application are important in helping us select the participants for each trip.
Cancelation Policy: If you cancel for any reason, you will be charged a $25 cancelation fee. No refunds if you cancel after Feb. 19. If you are accepted and cancel, and we are unable to find someone to take your place, no refund will be given.

Applications for service trips have now closed and there is a waiting list.

Past Service Trips

Fall 2011: New York City, NY and Chicago, IL

Spring 2011: New Orleans, LA and Trenton, NJ

Fall 2010: New York City, NY

Spring 2009: Memphis, TN

Fall 2009: New York City, NY

For more information, contact Austin Schafer at (614) 291-4674 x116.