Running head: WEEKEND RETREAT

Student Affairs Weekend Retreat

Mike Farrell
SAA 7690
March 12, 2014
Dr. DuVivier
Wright State University

WEEKEND RETREAT

Veteran Center Retreat

Day 1
Theme: What We Do Matters
1) 5PM-5:30PM: Introductions and Ice Breaker
a) Director of the Veterans Center will discuss the goals and guidelines of the retreat
b) Icebreaker: Beachball
(1) A beach ball with numbers on it will be passed around. The person who answers it
will have to answer the question that corresponds to the number on their right
thumb.
2) 5:30PM-6:30PM:
Dinner
a) Each meal will have a new seating chart to get people to socialize and develop
relationships with others they may not know.
3) 6:30PM-8:30PM:
Veteran Student Panel
a) A panel of 7 former and current veteran students will share their unique experiences in
the higher education setting and the challenges they are or have faced in reaching their
academic goals. Question and answers at the end of the session.
4) 8:30PM - 8:45PM:
Break
5) 8:45PM 9:30PM:
Panel Reflection and Discussion
a) A guided discussion on thoughts, discoveries, and lessons learned during the student
panel.
6) 9:30 PM - ???
Social time
Day 2
Theme: Helping the Veteran
1) 7:30AM 8:30AM:
Breakfast
2) 8:30AM 10:15AM
Understanding Where They Come From
a) Guest Speaker: Former service member
i) Learn about the life of a soldier and the experiences of war. Topics will include daily
life, impact of deployments on service member and family, and adjusting to life after
service. Questions and answers to follow.
3) 10:15 10:30AM
Break
4) 10:30AM - 12: 00 PM Bridging the Gap
a) Guest Speaker: Representative from the organization Veterans Outreach
i) Presentation on successful relationship building with veterans with tips and
techniques.
5) 12 PM 1 PM
Lunch

WEEKEND RETREAT

6) 1 PM 2:30 PM
PTSD On Campus
a) Video: PTSD Experiences of Veterans
b) Guest Speaker: Psychologist
i) Effect of PTSD on veterans academic success, recognition of symptoms, and sources
for help
7) 2:30 PM 2:15 PM
Break
8) 2:15 PM 4:30 PM
VA Benefits
a) Guest Speaker: Support and Family Services Representative from Wright Patterson
i) Overview of the wide range of benefits available to military members and veterans
b) Activity: Case Study: What Benefits is this Soldier Eligible For?
i) Participants will apply the information about benefits they learned about to a case
study in a competition to see which group can maximize benefits for the soldier.
9) 4:30 PM 4:45 PM
Break
10) 4:45 6 PM
Creating Opportunities on Campus
a) Guest Speaker: Veteran Center representative from an institution recognized as being at
the forefront of veteran services
i) Learn about innovating and engaging veteran programing at other institutions
ii) Session will wrap-up with a challenge to brainstorm possible programs to implement
at their own institution
11) 6PM - ?????
Dinner and Social
Day 3
Theme: An Effective Workplace
1) 7:30AM 8:30AM:
Breakfast
2) 8:30AM 10:15AM
Working Together
a) Teambuilding Exercise
i) Improve the work center by building trust and understanding amongst peers with the
goal of being able to offer efficient and effective services to clients through
cooperative teamwork
3) 10:15 10:30AM
Break
4) 10:30AM - 12: 00 PM Cross Division Cooperation
a) Representatives from key departments on campus that work with veterans will be present
to introduce themselves, provide information about their roles in the veterans college
experience, and answer any questions. Session will end with an activity that involves
retreat participants matching the needs of a student, to the appropriate department, and to
the appropriate contact person within the department.
5) 12 PM 1 PM
Lunch

WEEKEND RETREAT

6) 1 PM 2:30 PM
Personal Wellness
a) Guest Speaker: Stress Coach
i) Learn and apply techniques for improving personal wellness with the objective of
reducing stress and improving job satisfaction and performance
7) 2:30 3 PM
Wrap-Up
a) Closing discussion on lessons learned
b) Closing remarks by department head