Middlebury Alternative Break Trips (MAlt)
2015-2016 Executive Board Application
MAlt is Middlebury’s alternative break program. In 2015-2016 MAlt will offer 4-5 domestic and 1-2
international student-led, student-designed service trips over February break in addition to Vermont-based
fall and spring break trips.
What Are the Responsibilities of the Middlebury Alternative Break Executive Board?
Co-President & Logistics Chair: The Logistics Chair organizes recruitment and selection of leaders and
participants. Recruitment may include, but is not limited to, involvement in the Activities Fair, MiddAction
Fair, and informational meetings. They organize both a comprehensive leader training and ongoing
leadership workshops as needed. They oversee the logistical dimensions of trip planning and ensure that trip
leaders have all necessary pre- and post-departure information. They must complete and oversee such
logistical planning in a timely manner. Logistics include worksites, transportation, housing, food, and
materials (pre- and during trip). This chair supplies resources and contacts, and responds constructively to
the needs of the organization, the co-chairs, and leaders. All pre- and post-trip gatherings are planned and
executed by this chair. Applicants must have led a MAlt trip or previously served on the executive board and
will have office hours 3 hours per week in addition to work outside the office.
Co-President & Finance Chair: The Finance and Fundraising Chair serves as treasurer and is in charge of
organization finances and being a liaison to the Service Cluster Board. This Chair oversees the proper
production and implementation of the budget on MAlt-wide and individual trip levels. Post-trips, this chair
prepares the budget for the SGA Finance Committee for the upcoming academic year. They keep close
records of the budget for the other officers, the Service Cluster Board, SGA Finance Committee, and
administration to understand, as well as to pass on to and help train future Chairs. All deposits and money
returns are handled by this chair. Pre-trip, they work specifically with leaders to organize fundraising events
at the MAlt-wide, specific trip, and individual levels. They are responsible for securing the up-front capital
for fundraising, publicizing fundraising events, and documenting information such as expenses, earnings,
profits, and contacts. Applicants must have led a MAlt trip or previously served on the executive board and
will have office hours 3 hours per week in addition to work outside the office.
Education Chair: The education and reorientation chair supports the leaders’ efforts to educate themselves
and their groups on relevant topics by brainstorming and giving leaders potential options of educational
activities and avenues to explore (such as cultural history, attempted solutions, etc.). This chair also
structures reorientation and reflection for all groups/leaders (e.g., Pizza Reflection Dinner, Reorientation
Initiative Grants, etc.). They integrate and model reorientation and reflection. They must also provide leaders
with a timetable for organizing education, reflection, and reorientation activities. This chair is the primary
contact for leaders and/or groups in need of educational guidance and they lead workshops on essential
service skills. Applicants should have participated on a MAlt trip or have extensive leadership experience.
Strategic Communication Chair: The Strategic Communications Chair is responsible for fine-tuning and
promoting the mission of MAlt on campus. He or she, for example, will work on improving MAlt’s brand
name by designing a logo and incorporating social media into MAlt’s online presence. Previous experience
with graphic design and public relations is helpful, but all candidates with an eye for detail are appreciated.
Site-Coordinator Chair: The site-coordinator will report to the logistics chair and will be responsible for
ensuring that each MAlt trip commits a sufficient number of hours to direct service while on site. He or she
will correspond closely with trip leaders regarding the service aspect of their trip while doing additional
research on the region to help leaders develop ideas for service. The commitment will be approximately 3
hours per week, unpaid.
All chairs work closely with the Community Engagement office and MAlt advisor Ashley Laux to administer
the MAlt program. The logistics and finance chairs are offered a three-hour per week paid position in
Community Engagement during Fall, J-Term, and Spring Semester to support a part of their administrative
work. Chairs must be present for the entire year.
Middlebury Alterative Break Trip Executive Board Application
Name:
Age:
Year of graduation:
Commons:
Major:
Campus address and box number:
Cell:
Please provide typewritten answers to the following questions and e-mail them to middalt@middlebury.edu upon
completion.
1) Have you been on or lead a MAlt trip before? If yes, when and on what trip?
2) Do you have a preference/are you more fit for one of the chair positions? Why?
3) Why do you want to be a chair?
4) What special skills or experience do you feel you can contribute to MAlt? What leadership
training and/or leadership experiences have you had?
5) What will be your other extracurricular commitments next year? Will you be on campus for the
entirety of the 2014-2015 Academic Year (including J-term)?
6) Please provide the contact information (name, e-mail, phone number, and relationship to you) for
two references who can speak to your leadership ability.
7) We expect to conduct brief (no more than half an hour) interviews from March 31st to April 2th.
Please indicate when you would be available on each of these days (morning, afternoon,
evening).
Applications are due to the current Executive Board: Maya Neria, Rod Abhari,
Hayley Howard, and Lily Ghebrai (middalt@middlebury.edu) by March 12th.
Feel free to contact any of executive board members personally or through the MAlt e-mail
with any questions/concerns. Thanks!