It’s not often a lesson in border politics intersects with a class in crochet.

But that’s exactly what happened when Eve Klajbor, an 18-year-old biochemistry major at Mercyhurst College, and 10 other Mercyhurst students decided to forego a typical spring break on the beach for a trip along the U.S.- Mexico border…

Maureen Curley, president of Campus Compact, a national nonprofit dedicated to promoting service learning and community engagement, said student volunteerism spiked after Hurricane Katrina and has continued to increase.