Every college experience comes with ups and downs. From times of academic stress to absorbing the meaning of “adulting,” it can be a lot for someone to take in. Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) works to ensure that students are aware of the supportive community they have while earning their degree.
In addition to ways to get involved, the campus ministry office often partners with St. Joseph University Parish in Terre Haute. One of the events the College participates in is the Awakening Retreat. The Awakening Retreat is a weekend experience held once each semester off-campus in conjunction with Indiana State University and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Throughout the weekend, students listen to the spiritual journey of other college students, spend time in self-reflection and form a community. One unique feature of the retreat is it gives students the opportunity to unplug. Students who attend the retreat are not allowed to have their phones.
Tim Tesmer, campus minister, shared that Awakening can and has helped several students throughout their college careers. “Awakening is a student-led spiritual retreat that offers its participants genuine heartfelt expressions of Christian love in a way that is palpable and profound. It is a rather immersive experience that so many students find transformative. It is for legitimate reasons that it is called, ‘Awakening’,” Tesmer said.
Ariana Hall, a junior psychology major, shared that at a time in her journey where it felt like one curve ball came after the next, Awakening was just what she needed. “I attended my first Awakening during my sophomore year. What I thought was going to be a healing experience, ended up being even more. Literally, the only thing that was holding me together was God. He provided friendships that gave me all the love I needed to get through this tough experience,” Hall said.
James Mattox, a sophomore psychology and criminology major, shared how much Awakening helped him learn more about himself spiritually. “I remember going on my first Awakening retreat. I was unsure what to expect from this retreat. At the time, I did not believe in Christ or was faithful to any denomination. I remember feeling lost, confused and scared at the time because I just felt so out of place. However, the people around me were encouraging, passionate about their love of God and very understanding. I met so many amazing people who helped me open my heart to Christ during Awakening, and I am so grateful to have them in my life,” Mattox shared.
In addition to being a retreatant, Mattox shared that he loved being a part of the retreat staff on the last couple retreats. “I was really excited to come back to Awakening as a staff member. It was a blessing to be able to help guide people and answer questions they may have had. We all come from different places, so being able to connect with one another, and understand their experiences was truly eye-opening. It was a completely different experience from my first Awakening, but just as rewarding.”
What makes the retreat very special, is that much of it is kept secret to ensure a more memorable and authentic experience. Although it may seem mysterious to some, past retreatants shared that it only made the experience more special.
“I learned so much, no one judged me, I hit an ultimate spiritual high (which was so exciting for me), and I made so many new friends from SMWC, Rose and ISU. It was a memorable experience for me, and I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested,” said Hannah Ellis, a junior exercise science major.
In addition to attending the retreat, several students stay connected to Awakening by serving on the Awakening team. Emilee Roush, a senior nursing major, has been heavily involved in Awakening since attending the retreat her freshman year. She’s served on the student-led team and has been a co-director twice for the retreat.
“Through all the retreats I have been on, my favorite thing is watching the friendships form over the weekend and after. People show up as strangers and leave as friends united by a powerful spiritual growth experience,” Roush said.
As the years go on, several students are impacted by Awakening. Spirituality is one of the values of SMWC, and retreats like Awakening embrace diverse paths while providing resources for students to learn more about spirituality.
Ellis concluded that Awakening provides more than just friendships. “You find another family when you go on Awakening. The retreat and retreatants feel like a second family for me!”
The next Awakening retreat will be during the spring semester. For more information, contact Campus Ministry at campusministry@smwc.edu.