OAR Hosts Annual All Team Retreat

While OAR gathered in a virtual space, this year’s retreat, with its theme of Virtual Reality, was powerfully genuine. Focused on OAR’s shared goal of community connection, the event brought to life the authentic ways we connect, collaborate, and support one another, offering a valuable opportunity for us to reflect and grow together. A heartfelt thank you goes out to the Retreat Planning Committee for their incredible work in creating a meaningful experience for us all: Carole Alt, Cari Anderson, Payton Beverly, Emilie Dickson, Alyssa Lambert-Dushack, Bettie Mattison, Mallory Oller, Joshua Rybaski, Teresa Rutecki, MiKayla Scott-Krattiger, Heidi Updegrove, and committee chair, Shelly Vils Havel. OAR is also grateful to our outside presenters and everyone in OAR who contributed to the success of our day: Stephanie Benson-Gonzales, Jamie Black, Kristina Coopman, Micki Nordeen, Cameron Olson, and Ashley Swengler. Highlights from the day included powerful talks from Dr. Carl Grant, whose engaging Fireside Chat reminded us of the humor and humanity in our work, and Dr. April Scott, who left us with lasting tools for resilience and well-being. The group timeline activity gave the team the chance to step into the shoes of a fictional incoming student, sparking real reflection on the student journey, and the breakout sessions allowed us to dive deep into topics that matter most to us in this moment.