Meet the Nashville Team!

Sarah Eppley
Sophomore, Anthropology
This is my first Alternative Break. I have taken several courses on immigration in the past few semesters, and I am very excited to be able to put my knowledge about migration and refugees into practice! I'm also stoked to be discovering Nashville with such a dynamic and interesting group of people. :)

Tiezhou Duan
Graduate, Conference Interpreting
This is my second AB trip. Last year I went to NYC for the LGBTQ trip. LGBTQ and refuge issues are what I read constantly on newspaper but experienced little so I chose to go to Nashville this year. It's exciting to travel, volunteer and meet new friends. This year I've decided to volunteer, travel and experience different culture hopefully in Nashville, Tanzania and Brazil. I'm excited:)

Talatha Mah'moud
Sophomore, Neurobiology
This is my first Alternative Break trip. This will also be my first time traveling out of Maryland without my family so I am really excited for this trip. I have never been to Tennessee before and I want to experience the different cultures and people that live here. Though I will only be here for a week I want to immerse myself in the culture of Nashville and learn things about this town that one couldn't know from the internet.

Robdeti Geleta
Senior, Arabic Studies
This is my second AB experience. I am really interested in working with immigrant and refugee communities and I believe that this trip will provide me with the opportunity to do this. This will be my first time traveling to Nashville, Tennessee and I am really excited to work with and service the members of this community.

Ashley Schwanebeck
Sophomore, Mathematics and Economics
This is my first Alternative Breaks experience. This is also my first time to Nashville. I'm part of the living and learning program Global Communities, and I am going on this trip thanks to this program. I don't really know much about the immigrant and refugee community, but I am excited to learned more about it. I mentor 4th graders at the University of Maryland, and I am mostly excited to tutor kids here in Nashville.

Sydney Robinson
Sophomore, Physics and French
This is my first AB trip, although I have previously participated in and facilitated other LCSL programs. I am excited to spend the next week learning about immigrant and refugee rights in a city with as much cultural diversity as Nashville.

Morgan Chase
Sophomore, Government and Politics 
This is my first AB trip, however I have done a service trip during high school. I'm so excited to participate in our service activities and I am extremely intrigued at what this week will hold and how it will open my eyes about immigration and refugee rights! Especially in one of America's most cherished musical cities, Nashville, Tennessee! Stayed tuned folks, we are live from Nashville!

Corinne Paul
Junior,  Government and Politics
This is my second Alternative Breaks experience. Last spring I went to Baltimore to learn about socioeconomic inequality. I'm excited about being in Nashville this year because I have never been to a southern state! The immigration and refugees topic really interests me because last year I worked at the International Rescue Committee, a prominent refugee/ asylee center, and because am learning about US Latino immigrants for my minor.

Olivia Delaplaine
Freshman, Government and Politics
This is my first AB trip and I am so happy to be here! At UMD, I'm a member of the Arabic Flagship Program and am really passionate about other languages and cultures. I hope to work for nonprofits that aid and advocate for refugee and immigrant populations, so this is a great introductory experience for me! I am so excited to get to know all of the other wonderful participants and learn more about the history of immigrants in Nashville.