SAU Students – Adriana Diaz and Naida Lee get ready to enjoy Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
As midterms wrap up and the Iowa winter slowly fades, students at St. Ambrose University are counting down the days until spring break. Whether they are heading to sandy beaches, visiting loved ones, competing in athletic events, or traveling abroad to serve others, students are using the week as a much needed reset before the final stretch of the semester.
For many, warmer weather is the biggest draw.
Junior marketing major Adriana Diaz is heading home to Puerto Rico for four days and bringing her roommate, senior nursing major Nadia Lee, with her. The two plan to explore Old San Juan, enjoy the warm weather, and spend time with Adriana’s friends and family.
“I’m really excited to show Nadia around my hometown and let her meet the people who mean a lot to me,” Adriana said. “It’s also a nice break from school, and we’re both looking forward to relaxing before the last eight weeks of the semester.”
Sophomore nursing major Maya Oliver is also trading the Midwest chill for Florida sunshine. She will spend a week in Cape Coral with her family and her boyfriend, staying in a house with a pool and gorgeous views. Oliver says she is especially excited about a planned boat trip where they will visit different beaches throughout the day. More than anything, she is looking forward to relaxing by the pool and taking a break from the fast pace of nursing school.
For senior communications and multi-media major Dominic Neely, spring break means finally reuniting with his long distance girlfriend in North Carolina. The two were unable to spend Valentine’s Day together, so they are planning a belated celebration with nice dinners and quality time. Neely is also excited to attend college baseball games during the week and enjoy the warmer weather that it has to offer. After a busy semester, he says he is looking forward to a change of scenery and time away from the Quad Cities.
“Being long distance isn’t always easy, so having a full week together without worrying about school or schedules means a lot,” Neely said. “It’ll be nice to slow down, enjoy the warmer weather, and just spend time doing the little things together.”
While some students are vacationing, Ambrose athletes are preparing for competition.
Senior sports management major Gabrielle Langlois and the women’s golf team are traveling to Hilton Head, South Carolina, for a week of practice and matches. The team flies out on March 14 and begins practicing shortly after arriving. They will play nearly every day, balancing competition with recovery. Langlois says the team stays together in an Airbnb, where they cook meals and spend time bonding outside of practice. One of the highlights of the trip is Wednesday’s free day, when teammates can go to the beach or shopping but still spend time together.
“By the end of the week, I always feel closer to my teammates and more confident heading into the spring season.”
Senior sales major Julia Turek will also be in Hilton Head with the tennis teams. Staying at the Spinnaker Resort. Match days are scheduled for March 14, 17, and 18, but between competitions, the team plans to enjoy the beach and local restaurants. Turek’s spring break doesn’t end there. After Hilton Head, she and her mom will travel to Naples, Florida, for a weekend filled with boating, shopping, and relaxing in the sun.
“I love that it’s the perfect mix of competition and vacation,” Turek said. “We get to compete and stay focused, but we also get time to relax, be at the beach, and just enjoy the warm weather. Then getting to finish the week with my mom makes it even more special.”
Not every student is chasing travel plans. For sophomore social work major Olivia Moisa, spring break is more about getting some much-needed rest. With track meets almost every weekend, Mosia says the season has been busy and exhausting. She plans to go home to recharge, enjoy home-cooked meals, and spend quality time with her family. “It’ll be nice to just relax, see my family, and reset before coming back,” Moisa said. After weeks of balancing school and athletics, she says the break will help her recharge both physically and mentally before returning to campus.
Senior marketing and management major Jude Rotkis is heading west with friends for spring break, traveling to Tucson, Arizona, to stay with family in a hacienda style home complete with a courtyard pool. While there, he plans to hike, visit cousins, and stop by his family’s brewery, Moto Sonora.
“I’m excited to get outside and experience something different from Iowa,” Rotkis says. “We have a few hikes planned, and we’re taking a day trip to the Grand Canyon and Flagstaff. Mostly, I’m just looking forward to spending time with family and friends since I don’t get to do it much with school and work.”
For Rotkis, the trip is a chance to trade his usual routine for desert views, fresh air and meaningful time away from campus.
For senior nursing major Dylan Markley, spring break will look much different this year. Instead of traveling for vacation, Markley will spend seven days in rural Panama on a service trip through Global Brigades. He will join 22 other students and medical professionals, including a dentist, optometrist, and physician, to provide healthcare to nearly 250 people who do not have consistent access to medical services.
In addition to assisting with patient care, the group will also help build bathrooms and stoves to support long-term improvements in the community’s health and living conditions. Markley says he is most looking forward to making a meaningful impact and gaining experiences that will stay with him well beyond the trip.
Although their destinations and plans vary, St. Ambrose students share a common goal: using spring break as a time to recharge, reconnect, and refocus. Whether it’s sunshine on a beach, competition on the court, family dinners at home, or service in another country, the week offers a pause before the final push toward the end of the semester.
And for many students, it simply cannot come soon enough.
