Campus Ministry holds leadership retreat

By Kristina Scherber
Cardinal Staff

On Nov. 14-15, the Saint Mary’s University Office of Campus Ministry offered its first leadership retreat at Camp Ehawee in Mindoro, Wisc., focusing on the Lasallian charisms of faith, service and community. The retreat involved learning about how to be an effective leader, promoting Lasallian ministry and forming community.
Read more...

The retreat participants included leaders of Campus Ministry clubs as well as other SMU students who exhibit leadership qualities. The main goal of the retreat was to enhance the leadership skills of those individuals while bringing them together to form a community.

“Fostering community among leaders is important,” said senior Ryan Langr, an Outreach Ministry and Serving Others United in Love (S.O.U.L.) leader. “It’s nice to know who to go to if you need help.” One way retreat participants formed community was through small and large group discussions. “I found the discussions to be very inspiring,” said Langr.

Freshman Steve Schmidt said, “I liked hearing other people’s perspective on things, while being able to share my own view, even if it didn’t match theirs.”

To promote a vision of Lasallian ministry, the participants discussed the definition of ministry, what it means to be Lasallian and who is served by the various Campus Ministry programs.

“I hope that students left with skills and excitement that they can bring back to share with their clubs and others on campus,” said Lynn Streefland, assistant director of Campus Ministry. “Campus Ministry is working on providing another leadership retreat for next semester because of the positive reviews that we’ve received and the need we’ve noticed for an event like this.”