Alternative Spring Break - Don Ausman Scholarship

Don Ausman Scholarship

On January 28, 2009, MSU Alternative Spring Break lost a friend. Don Ausman was to be one of the site leaders for the 2009 New Orleans HIV/AIDS trip. Don was a truly special individual with a big heart. From his love of techno music to his goofy sense of humor, Don enjoyed life to the fullest. His desire to give to and serve with the community along with his love of life touched the lives of everyone around him. Don’s giving spirit and enthusiasm for service will live on in the hearts of ASBers for years to come.

During the weeks following his death, Don’s family created a foundation to continue his commitment to service. The Don Ausman Foundation works to provide funding to support the MSU Alternative Spring Break program. Don’s family also created a scholarship fund for ASB in Don’s memory. In 2009, ASB utilized the scholarship fund to support students traveling to New Orleans to work at Belle Reve, a home for individuals with HIV/AIDS. To learn more about Don, please visit the Don Ausman Foundation website. Participants from the trip honored Don by making a plaque and planting a magnolia tree in the garden at Belle Reve.

To make a gift to support the Don Ausman Alternative Spring Break Scholarship please visit http://www.spartanpartners.msu.edu/Ausman.

Participant Reflections from 2009 New Orleans HIV/AIDS Trip:

“The day that we planted the tree in Don’s name at Belle Reve, all of the residents asked us why we were wearing the shirts. So we explained to them who Don was and some of the things he had accomplished in his life and all the work he had done to help improve humanity. One of the residents commented, ‘One of the good ones has passed, and it sounds like he will be very hard to replace.’”

“Volunteering at Belle Reve was honestly a life altering experience for me. I have volunteered in hospitals, through my church, and other organizations and none can compare to what I learned and how I grew as a person at Belle Reve.”

“Besides seeing the culture, I really enjoyed working at the Belle Reve home for people with HIV/AIDS. It was truly rewarding being able to work on projects knowing that so many people would benefit from our efforts. Everyday, they were so grateful for what we did, which made me even more eager to help out.”

“This HIV/AIDS New Orleans Alternative Spring Break was so much more than I could have ever hoped for and I believe that was Don’s doing. Everyone at Belle Reve was so grateful for our presence and welcomed us with open arms, we really felt at home. . . . We warmed their hearts, as they did ours, we made a difference, we made great memories and we became family.”

“Hugging everyone goodbye at Belle Reve was so hard to do, I started to cry and when I was crying one of the staff members looked me in the eye and said something that I will never forget. She said, ‘This isn’t goodbye, it’s see you later.’ After she said that I thought she is completely right. There is no such thing as goodbye, it’s always see you later and Don isn’t gone. He was with us all the way and he made this experience for us.”