By Joseph Leonards

Three McNeese students are spending their four-day weekend in service instead of celebration as part of a Chi Alpha campus ministry trip.

The group, which includes three students and one adviser, is traveling to Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, during Mardi Gras break to partner with the Chi Alpha campus ministry there, aiming to encourage students while serving the campus community.

McNeese students will assist in landscaping projects, cook meals for one another, attend Sunday service and engage other students in conversations about faith.

“The purpose of this trip is for mutual encouragement and community building,” said Chi Alpha Director Justin Mullins.

McNeese student Braylon Fuselier, who went on a similar trip over Mardi Gras break with Chi Alpha two years ago to Texas A&M, said the trip was a learning experience for him.

“I got to see the world through a whole new lens,” Fuselier said. “I learned more about myself, met new people and how we can help one another on a day-to-day basis.”

Mullins said the decision to partner with Sam Houston State was because of proximity and lower travel costs, which allow more students to participate. The McNeese chapter also has an existing relationship with the Sam Houston chapter, and Mullins said the directors hope this weekend’s trip strengthens that partnership.

To him, this mission trip is more than just humanitarian work. It is an opportunity for students to learn from experiences outside their own communities and engage with different perspectives.