Fall Retreat 2019


Sept. 13-15

Photos and video by Tony Yu-Nguyen

Oxford College of Emory University | Sept. 26, 2019

Fall Retreat 2019

For more than 35 years, Oxford College students, faculty, staff, and their families have traveled to north Georgia for Oxford’s annual fall retreat.

Athens Y Camp near Tallulah Falls hosted 85 participants who spent the weekend listening to thought provoking sessions, playing games, swimming, hiking, dancing, and enjoying lots of free time.

Oxford’s Office of Religious and Spiritual Life sponsors and coordinates the retreat.

Amanda Yu-Nguyen and Lauren Braun help students reframe the fear of failure.

Second-year student leaders assisted in planning the weekend activities.

Second-year student leaders assisted in planning the weekend activities.

Building off of one of the themes presented at Oxford's new student orientation — “Success includes failure” — students participated in a morning session on “An Epic Failure: Rethinking the F-word.”

Amanda Yu-Nguyen, director of the Center for Healthful Living, and Lauren Braun, assistant dean for Academic Affairs and director of the Advising Support Center, facilitated the discussions. Attendees talked about ways to reframe thoughts of and even the fear of failure.

“The message we wanted to drive home with the group was that you can experience a failure, but that doesn’t mean you become a failure,” says Yu-Nguyen. “Separating the experience from personal identity is key and a concept we wanted students to explore. Sometimes, things don’t go according to plan and we have to be able to move forward. Staying stuck in a failed experience doesn’t bring growth.”

Amanda Yu-Nguyen and Lauren Braun pose outside the lodge.

Amanda Yu-Nguyen helped facilitate the sessions.
Lauren Braun served as a session facilitator
Students sit on the porch of Athens Y Camp lodge.
Students play games outside the gym.
Students break into small discussion groups inside the lodge.
Students sit on the porch of Athens Y Camp lodge.
Students break into small discussion groups inside the lodge.

“Life will have a variety of ups and downs. You will encounter difficulty, but if you do so from a perspective of growth mindset, you can find a way forward.”

— Lauren Braun

Students attend a session on reframing failure.

Organizers planned activities for participants to interact throughout the retreat. Outdoor games, swimming in the lake, and a trail hike gave students the chance to engage with staff and faculty off campus. Due to rain Friday night and then on Saturday, the traditional s’mores around the campfire moved inside to the lodge’s fireplace.

Outdoor games give students opportunities to engage with each other.

A group of students discuss reframing failure.

“We wanted to help students talk about failure as a normal part of life and acknowledge how much we learn from failure in our lives.”

— Chaplain Lyn Pace

A retreat participant wears a hate with Oxford College of Emory Center for Healthful Living logo.
Students, staff, and faculty play games beside Lake Pearson.
A student writes reflections on the lodge porch.
Students hang out on the lake's dock.
A student writes reflections on the lodge porch.
Students hang out on the lake's dock.

Students throw away notes with instances of failure.

Students throw away notes with times of failure.

“I think it will shape the way I think of myself in regards to academic performance and abilities — I will be more loving and gracious, especially if I mess up.”


— Bridgette Garnache, a first-year student from Wheaton, Ill.

Students sit on the walking path on the far side of the lake.

Retreat campers took a day hike at Tallulah Gorge State Park. Hikers went down steps that led into the gorge.

Hikers went down steps that led into the gorge.
Students take a break near the lodge's lake.
Students take a break near the lodge's lake.

A highlight of the weekend’s activities — as it is year after year — was the barn dance led by Seth Tepfer from the Oxford College Information Technology team. Oxford faculty members David Leinweber, Karen Rogers, and Mike Rogers provided live music for the dancers.

Students swing their partners during the barn dance.

Dancers make a bridge during the barn dance.
Students form a dance circle during the barn dance.
Seth Tepfer leads students in a barn dance with musicians.
Dancers form a circle during the barn dance.
Seth Tepfer leads students in a barn dance with musicians.
Dancers form a circle during the barn dance.
The traditional s’mores around the campfire moved inside to the lodge’s fireplace.

Read more about Oxford’s Office of Religious and Spiritual Life or contact Lyn Pace for more information.

Oxford students spell out their school pride at night.

Check out the fall retreat’s beautiful setting.

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