For 15 years, the Don Ausman Foundation has been supporting and inspiring Alternative Spartan Breakers and continuing the legacy of its namesake, former MSU student and breaker Don Ausman.

The foundation, which provides financial support to Alternative Spartan Breaks (ASB) and similar programs across the U.S., was established in January 2009, after Ausman's tragic passing at age 22. “We started The Don Ausman Foundation … because of Don's love for volunteering and the program itself, and how much it meant to him,” said Renée Wauldron, Ausman's mother and co-founder of the foundation. “Don is our teacher, and we want to carry on where he left off.”

From an early age, he showed a “compassionate side” that drove him to participate in Christmas gift drives, dedicate his time to family members with disabilities, and travel to learn and serve in communities across the world, Wauldron said. “In college, he went to Africa to study abroad for 6 weeks, [and] he was a changed man when he got back,” she said. “His goal in life after college was to go to Japan for 3 years and teach English, then join the Peace Corps in Africa.”

Ausman's passion for helping others also manifested in his love for ASB. During his first alternative break, Ausman traveled to Mexico to help paint elementary schools and distribute food to local children, and he was looking forward to serving as a site leader during his next ASB experience, which would have helped families living with HIV in New Orleans. Unfortunately, Ausman died shortly before the trip, but his memory lives on.

Each year, the Don Ausman Foundation raises funds through the Don's Friends 5K and 10K, which support ASB programs at MSU, Flagler College, and the University of St. Augustine. In 2023, the run's 15th year boasted 50-90 sponsors, 100 volunteers, and close to 1,000 participants.

In addition to hosting the annual Don's Friends run, the foundation supports ASB through hosting experiences in St. Augustine, where Wauldron now lives. “Students come here to help our elderly at the Council on Aging,” she explained. “They build wheelchair ramps and cut up to 45 lawns in one week.” These trips, as well as the financial support provided through the Don Ausman Foundation, allow more MSU students to experience the transformative effects of community engagement, inspiring them to help others just as Ausman did.

If there is one thing to learn from Ausman's legacy, it is that a passion for helping others never disappears. “Our hearts are full with the love and attention we get, and how people respond to Don and his mission in life,” Wauldron said. “He was a wonderful, fun, caring, and loving son, friend, and grandson. We miss him and love him so much. We will continue Don's Friends and his foundation as long as we live.”

To learn more and support the Don Ausman Foundation, visit donsfriend.com.