UNA junior Kaylie Watts of Anniston spent her summer in Flagstaff, Ariz. volunteering for Breakaway, the umbrella organization for UNA’s Alternative Break Board.

Watts is actively involved in leadership on campus. She is the president of the Alternative Break Board and works hard to create opportunities for her fellow classmates to serve others. She spends a lot of her time planning and organizing trips for fall and spring breaks.

Watts said she has a simple reason for choosing to volunteer so much of her time.

“I see the best in people,” she said.

Watts said she has a strong desire to create a better world and instill active citizenship in her classmates.

This summer, Watts was chosen to be a site leader for Breakaway. This was a great honor for Watts, because out of the hundreds of participating schools in the U.S., only eight students were chosen. The weekend she arrived in Flagstaff, she began her training sessions. The next week she was introduced to her group and began to train them on service and leadership.

Watts said she’s come a long way from her freshman year to being involved so heavily on campus.

“When I came as a freshman, I didn’t know anybody,” she said. “No one from my graduating class attended UNA.”

Her freshman year, Watts was placed on the leadership floor of LaGrange Hall. She began attending floor meetings and seeing all the ways to serve people and get involved on campus. This began her stepladder journey through leadership positions, until she arrived as president of the Alternative Break Board.

Watts believes her involvement on campus has helped her in many ways.

“It has helped tremendously,” she said. “Being involved has opened so many doors and has been a great form of social networking.”

In terms of her major, being involved with service outreach programs has greatly affected her future. After graduation, Watts plans to go to graduate school for Community and International Development.

“I am a problem solver,” said Watts. “I see a place or an organization for what it is and then for what it could be.”

Fall break will feature a trip to East Limestone County for tornado relief.