To kick off the 2016-2017 academic year, the PAFs all participated in a week-long training and retreat. While training covered professional development, program requirements, and ambassadorial duties, the retreat gave the PAFs (and the PAT!) the chance to set expectations, get to know one another, and bond as a team.
Retreat officially began Friday morning with an honest discussion about diversity and inclusion. Like the university at large, the PAF program is placing an even greater emphasis on multiculturalism and the value of active diversity. Our discussion on different experiences of marginalization, exclusion, and bias set the tone for “diversity” to be more than a passive descriptor of our cohort – rather it is a conscientious choice.
PAFs then traveled to Escape the Room in downtown D.C. Escape the Room is an immersive puzzle game. The cohort was locked in an innocuous-looking room and told we had one hour to use clues to find the key. As though we were characters in a real-life adventure game, the PAFs worked together to solve the puzzles and did, in fact, escape the room.
From Escape the Room, the PAF and PAT headed to the “distant” land of Poolesville, Maryland. After a competitive grocery-shopping stop, the group arrived at a beautiful cabin nestled on a ranch. The PAFs worked their way around the kitchen during the traditional Year 1 vs. Year 2 Chop’t cook-off (it ended in a tie, as judged by the PAT), before settling in for a lovely taco dinner and chatting through the night.
On Saturday morning, the real work began. The PAFs and PAT reviewed the committees, brainstormed programming ideas for next year, and agreed on committee assignments. We then jumped right into expectations, setting a tone of mutual respect, active listening, and responsiveness for the year.
While the discussions and planning were absolutely necessary, retreat provided an invaluable chance for the PAFs to get to know each other as individuals and bond as a team. I’m sure I speak for all the PAFs when I say that it was an absolute pleasure to chat, collaborate, and play silly games throughout retreat. Upon returning from the retreat Sunday afternoon, I realized that I am not only excited for the year ahead, but I am grateful that I get to face it with this team.