Organize a short term service trip
Serving as a trip leader is a significant commitment with meaningful rewards. When done well, service trips can positively impact host communities and cultivate an other-centered perspective in participants. Designing a service trip goes beyond logistics—it requires clarity of purpose and a commitment to meeting real needs in appropriate, respectful ways. The process below begins with a few educational tools we ask you to review before planning details. We honor your desire not only to serve, but to lead others into shared experiences of God’s love in meaningful ways.
Begin by reaching out to the Associate Chaplain for Missions to explore the possibility of leading a trip and to learn more about the process. As you do, consider potential partner organizations, proposed activities, estimated expenses, number of participants, and the time needed to plan effectively. We also invite you to begin praying for God’s guidance as you discern and develop your plan.
To prepare, we also recommend either reading When Helping Hurts by Corbett and Fikkert, or watching the Helping Without Hurting video series by Life.Church.
Finally, review the trip leader role description below to better understand the responsibilities involved.
University Short-Term Domestic Trip Sponsor
Position Type: Faculty or Staff (Primary Trip Leader)
Time Commitment: Pre-trip planning, trip duration, and post-trip follow-up
Role Overview
The Trip Sponsor serves as the primary leader and responsible representative of the university for a short-term domestic travel experience. This role provides academic, logistical, and pastoral oversight to ensure the trip is safe, meaningful, and aligned with the university’s educational mission and values. The Trip Sponsor mentors students, manages risk, and partners with host organizations to create a high-impact learning experience.
Key Responsibilities
Pre-Trip Planning & Preparation
- Collaborate with the sponsoring department or center to design trip goals, learning outcomes, and itinerary
- Complete all required university travel documentation, risk management forms, and approvals, and communicate the application process to student participants in collaboration with the Student Missions Office and Risk & Safety.
- Coordinate logistics including transportation, lodging, meals, schedules, and emergency planning
- Develop the trip budget and communicate the fundraising process to participants in collaboration with the Student Missions Office.
- Recruit and select student participants in alignment with trip objectives
- Lead pre-trip orientation sessions covering expectations, safety, conduct, and cultural awareness
- Communicate regularly with students, parents (if applicable), and university offices
On-Trip Leadership & Supervision
- Serve as the primary on-site leader and point of contact for students and host partners
- Supervise students at all times, ensuring adherence to university policies and codes of conduct
- Foster a positive, inclusive group culture rooted in respect, teamwork, and responsibility
- Respond to emergencies, health issues, or disciplinary concerns following university protocols
- Facilitate reflection, debriefs, or learning discussions during the trip
Post-Trip Responsibilities
- Lead post-trip reflection or evaluation activities with participants
- Submit required reports, incident documentation (if applicable), and financial reconciliations
- Provide feedback to sponsoring department to improve future trips
- Encourage ongoing student engagement, learning integration, or service follow-up
Required Qualifications
- Current university faculty or staff member in good standing
- Demonstrated experience working with college-aged students
- Strong organizational, communication, and leadership skills
- Ability to manage group dynamics and respond calmly in high-pressure situations
- Willingness to uphold and model the university’s mission and values
- Awareness of ethical considerations in mission and service work
International Trips
The trip leader must be an employee of Walla Walla University and will need to submit a travel request for trip approval by the Travel Proposal Committee (TPC) at least two months before the trip:
- Submit an International Travel Request.
Domestic Trips
The trip leader must be an employee or student of Walla Walla University and will need to submit a travel request for trip approval at least two weeks before the trip:
The Associate Chaplain for Missions is available to help guide you through this process.
It is helpful to make a plan for the spiritual and personal growth of participants through this experience. This could include:
- Assessment tools such as pre-trip and post-trip surveys to identify and address expectations and measure growth.
- Orientation content covered in pre-trip meetings to help prepare participants spiritually.
- Structured debriefing times during the trip to worship together and discuss questions, challenges, and growth opportunities.
- Post-trip debrief meeting to go over what has been learned and areas of growth.
All participants on your mission trip (including trip leaders) will need to complete the application process outlined on the Apply to Join a Trip page which includes forms, fundraising, and travel information. Student Missions Application staff and Chaplain for Missions will assist in filing and tracking the process for participants. As a trip leader, you will be given access to this information.
The fundraising amount may vary for each short term mission trip and is set as part of the trip approval process. The trip leader can work with the chosen mission organization and the Associate Chaplain for Missions to determine the goal. An example range of the fundraising goal is as follows:
- $1,000-$1,500: estimated project/logistic costs paid to the mission organization
- $800-$1,200: estimated airfare
- $50: estimated travel insurance
The student missions finance manager will also be available to help process donations and answer participant questions about fundraising.
The trip leader and Student Missions team will work together to organize a trip information session which will provide interested students with details about the mission location and trip itinerary (provided by trip leader), as well as the mission application and fundraising process (provided by the Associate Chaplain for Missions).
Student applicants will need to complete the WWU short term missions application, along with other required forms and one professional reference (see Apply to Join a Trip). They will also pay a $100 commitment deposit to be used towards their overall fundraising goal. Once all trip requirements are complete, trip applicants will be screened by the Student Missions Screening Committee and then sent to the trip leader for final approval.
Once approved, trip participants can begin the fundraising process. This happens through a short-term mission trip fundraising letter and the online university donation platform.
The trip leader will be responsible for purchasing the tickets for all approved trip participants. Once the tickets have been finalized, the leader will need to provide the itineraries to the Associate Chaplain for Missions for the purpose of securing travel insurance. The Student Missions Department is available to provide guidance and assistance with travel logistics on a case-by-case basis.
A minimum of two weeks before departure, the trip leader and Student Missions team will collaborate with the Risk & Safety Officer to provide travel safety training and other relevant preparation to all approved participants.
Find a time to meet after the trip to discuss what went well, what could use improvement, what was learned. This can be a good time to identify if there is a need for further emotional or spiritual support, as well as introduce more opportunities for service and missions through the Center for Humanitarian Engagement and the Student Missions program.
For more information or to begin the approval process for a trip you would like to sponsor, please contact the Associate Chaplain for Missions.