Michael Estrada , Marshall ’ 79 , a Los Angeles municipal law attorney , would never have imagined himself shovel in hand and knee-deep in a ditch , high in the mountains of Appalachia , working with those half his age to help West Virginians in need . But sometimes life takes you where you least expect it .
It all started when the alumnus was diagnosed with throat cancer . “ It made me look at all the things that affected my life , and UC San Diego was an important one ,” he says .
While undergoing treatment , Estrada read an issue of Triton featuring an article on a fellow alumnus who supports the university ’ s Alternative Breaks program . The student-run , student-led program gives volunteers the opportunity to embark on national and international service-learning trips as a meaningful way to give back to society . Participants engage with a wide range of community-based nonprofit groups and help address social justice issues ranging from poverty to environmental education to women ’ s empowerment .
“ For years , I ’ d been looking for something to reconnect with at UC San Diego ,” Estrada recalls . “ Alternative Breaks sounded interesting , and I recognized that it was time to start doing things I had put off .”
With his cancer ultimately defeated , Estrada engaged with the program and was quickly inspired by the students he met . “ It was the notion of service that attracted me ,” he says . “ I was overwhelmed by the esprit de corps — the enthusiasm of the students for the program and the projects .”
After three years of providing support to the program , Estrada recently established the Michael Estrada Alternative Breaks Scholarship Endowment with a gift of $ 50,000 to help more students in need participate in the program . He also designated the newly established endowment as a beneficiary of his estate . But the story doesn ’ t end there .
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