2021 Pursuit of Inclusion Award Recipient: Alex Acuna

Alex Acuna (she/her/hers) is the student chair of the Alternative Breaks program in the Bennion Center for Community Engagement. Accumulating over four years of experience with Alternative Breaks, she has consistently led the program’s pursuit of diversity, equity and inclusion.

On a weekly basis, Alex educates student site leaders and faculty and staff partners to prepare to lead justice-based experiential learning by training them on topics related to building mutually beneficial community partnerships, crafting robust educational curricula and facilitating transformative reflections. 

As the chair this year, Alex led the EBoard in evaluating our program’s value and fostering open discussion as to actionable steps the program can pursue to uphold those values. As a result of her leadership, people who are involved with the Alternative Breaks program leave with a sense of belonging and an empowerment to become actively engaged seekers of justice.

On behalf of the Student Affairs Diversity Committee, we congratulate Alex and thank her for her pursuit of inclusion on campus and in the community.