Spring Break Immersion Program
Solidarity, Spirituality and Mutuality.
The Spring Break Immersion Program aims to emphasize the "with" in the phrase "people for and with others."
Service Over Sunshine
A defining program of the Chaplains’ Office, SBIP offers students the opportunity to spend a week living and working in solidarity with communities typically on the margins of society. The trips began in 1968 with a small group of students traveling to the Appalachian region as part of participation in the Catholic Appalachian Project. Over the years, the program has expanded beyond its original Appalachian sites to include locations in urban centers, farms dedicated to sustainability and places for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
This year, 105 students spent time at 17 sites across the country, spanning from Virginia and Kentucky to St. Louis and Washington State. They spent the week helping complete various projects, getting to know the area and, most importantly, building relationships with the community and with each other.
"The mission of the immersion program is really to invite students to encounter our neighbors throughout the country. We talk about being people with and for others – that’s such a buzzword in Jesuit higher education. The immersion program is really a way of living that.
Salena Ibrahim, assistant chaplain and director of domestic immersion programs
You Had to be There
The Immersion Program is a life-changing experience for all involved. Hear what made the difference for three Holy Cross students during the 2026 trip in their own words.
