First Year Retreat Leadership

The Emmaus Center for Spiritual Life and Vocation is seeking sophomore and upperclass student leaders who want to be supportive of first-year students’ experiences as they begin their journeys at St. Norbert College. Interested students should be open to reflecting on their own experiences and committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment of belonging both on the inaugural First Year Retreat Experience (“FYRE”) and beyond. “FYRE” Leaders will be selected for their gifts and intentions to empower first-year students to reflect on their faith/spirituality, express their ever-evolving authentic selves, and grow a spiritual, faith-filled community in college.

Time commitment: The FYRE Retreat at St. Norbert College will take place on October 14-15, 2022 at Pine Lake Camp (in Waupaca, WI). There will be four scheduled, 1.5-hour meetings leading up to the retreat weekend (~6 hours total). FYRE leaders will also be asked to support outreach efforts to first year students (~4-5 hours) in order to foster community and belonging.

Position compensation: In exchange for sharing your gifts and time in preparation for and in leading the retreat, students will receive a $275 financial award, to be issued after the retreat weekend.

Pre-retreat formation and planning meetings:  

The FYRE Leadership meetings aim to provide space for upperclass student leaders to continue growing in their personal faith journeys while also preparing them to encourage First Year students’ growth at SNC. These student leaders will be challenged to consider the uniqueness and opportunity of learning and living at a Catholic, Norbertine school by learning how to integrate their faith and spirituality with leadership skills. 

 The leadership skills and values student leaders will learn at the formation meetings include how to…

• Share elements of their faith/spiritual journey, including modeling and integrating the Norbertine values of communio, radical hospitality, and human dignity into their daily lives and actions.
• Facilitate intentional and courageous conversations on topics including the transition to college, being a student at SNC, faith, and spirituality with first-year students and their peers.
• Develop strategies to foster radical hospitality and create spaces of belonging and inclusion at SNC, including planning team-building activities for first-year students and their peers.

On the retreat weekend, FYRE Leaders will use these leadership skills and values by…

• Facilitating small group community-building, dialogue, and reflection with first year students. 
• Sharing elements of their faith/spiritual journey with first year students, either in small groups, or by giving a large-group talk relating their personal experience to one of the Norbertine values (communio, radical hospitality, human dignity). 
• Leading prayer/reflection opportunities for first year students and their peers. 
• Utilizing the strategies developed during training to develop student teams that naturally include and foster belonging amongst First-Year students.
• Sharing about their experience at SNC on an upperclass student panel.
• Provide music leadership, if applicable.

Interested? Apply Today!

• Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis; for fullest consideration, please apply by Friday, April 29, 2022.
• Positions will be selected before students leave for summer break.

For more information, please contact Meghan Stretar, Assistant Director of the Emmaus Center for Spiritual Life and Vocation at meghan.stretar@snc.edu.