Buccino Leadership Institute Fall Retreat

The Buccino Leadership Institute held a leadership retreat at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, October 14, at Oak Ridge, New Jersey, giving students hands-on opportunities to develop teamwork, communication and trust.

Out on a Limb, a team building and leadership programs organization, led the retreat, guiding participants through a series of exercises designed to strengthen trust, communication and collaboration.

The morning included a hike up a steep hill to a peak overlooking Green Pond. Along the way, students participated in a blindfolded trust walk, which required participants to rely on peers for guidance. Raymond Clerihue, a freshman diplomacy major, reflected, “I think what really broke the ice in our group was the blindfolded hike. Half of us could not see where we were going and we had to rely on people we had only just met to guide us. I think this really helped us to know that we could count on one another regardless of how little we knew about one another.”

The retreat also featured a human yurt exercise and group challenges such as completing the “island” challenge, in which participants had to get everyone onto hoops on the ground. Clerihue said these activities emphasized interdependence: “The retreat was meant to teach us all how to work as a group and rely on one another’s strengths to achieve our goals. We all knew who we could lean on when we faced our weaknesses, which helped us to succeed on the ropes course and the wall.”

After lunch, students attempted a high ropes course and a 15-foot wall climb, emphasizing teamwork, encouragement and problem-solving. Sydney Cowhig, a junior psychology major, said, “My favorite part of the day was the ropes course. I am afraid of heights, so the idea of doing a ropes course in the air was really scary. With support from Professor Callahan, Dean Halpin and my fellow leaders, I pushed myself to overcome my fear. But sometimes, when you allow yourself to be uncomfortable and push past it, things may not be as scary as you thought they would be.”

Vincent Arnedos, a senior majoring in sports management and marketing, highlighted the high ropes course as a moment that brought the group together. “Out on a Limb facilitators challenged us to find out how everyone would like to be supported and encouraged as they attempted the obstacles. This resulted in so much vocal encouragement for each other. Most of us also had roles through the whole process, from being ‘rope manager’ to the ‘anchor,’ which forced us all to work in unison to keep the person on the ropes safe,” he said.

Students reflected on personal growth and leadership development. Elizabeth Cronk, a junior psychology and philosophy major, described the retreat as “refreshing, relieving, genuine,” and said it helped her reconnect with her leadership instincts from prior team experiences: “It’s been two and a half years since I’ve done team exercises in nature and so many instincts and mindsets came out in me that I forgot were quite central to my leadership and team style. I felt more myself than I had in a long time.”

Clerihue emphasized learning to communicate and delegate: “Primarily, we learned to strengthen our communication and delegation skills. The blindfolded hike forced us to communicate effectively and clearly with one another so that we all made it up the trail safely. Mounting the wall required us all to recognize our abilities and limitations, which in turn allowed us to effectively delegate tasks and responsibilities.”

Students also shared inspiration from peers and faculty. Clerihue cited professor Callahan’s participation as particularly memorable: “One of the highlights of the trip was seeing professor Callahan make her way across the ropes course. She had chosen to challenge herself by taking the course she felt less confident in. Her bravery, humor and vulnerability really made that moment both memorable and funny and helped me feel more comfortable with her.”

Arnedos added, “Watching others complete the ropes course was so gratifying. Completing the course myself was thrilling but seeing everyone succeed and support each other was the most rewarding part.”

Throughout the retreat, students recognized the importance of trust, community and perseverance. Cowhig noted, “I tend to rely on myself a lot to get things done, but it’s important to trust in your team, whether you’re on an E-board or doing your IDT (interdisciplinary team) projects. Everyone is here to support one another.” Clerihue summarized the retreat’s spirit as “connection, community and support,” emphasizing how the exercises encouraged students to challenge themselves while relying on the strengths of the group.

The retreat concluded just after 3:30 p.m., leaving students with strengthened bonds and practical leadership experience outside the classroom. Cronk advised future participants: “First, I'd say to go! Participate voluntarily and you will grow more than you realized. This was an amazing program and it was only so successful because everyone was engaged and willing to support each other. Enjoy yourself and realize these experiences only come along a few times in your college career.”

For students in the Buccino Leadership Institute, the Camp Nyoda retreat provided more than a day of outdoor challenges. It offered an opportunity to put leadership principles into practice, strengthen relationships and gain a deeper understanding of themselves as leaders. As participants returned to campus, they carried with them not only memories of conquering heights and navigating challenges but also a renewed sense of community, trust and the confidence to lead in both classroom and real-world settings.

About the institute
For a competitively selected group of undergraduate students, the Buccino Leadership Institute offers a four-year certificate program. Through weekly sessions steeped in leadership science and workforce readiness competencies, students from across the University practice leadership through experiential learning. In addition to becoming a master of leading yourself through a professional leadership coach, assessments and feedback, you will participate in and lead interdisciplinary teams on real-world projects and lead institute-wide initiatives. It is like no other leadership program in the country. Visit The Buccino Leadership Institute page to learn more.

Categories: Campus Life