Transformative education lab

Heather Rowan-Kenyon
Department Chair, Educational Leadership & Higher Education

Over the summer, I chaperoned my kids’ scout backpacking trip. We had over 25 kids hiking more than 3 miles to get to their campsite. During the hike, I was in the back, picking up items that fell off of packs, making sure no one was left behind, encouraging some of the kids who struggled to keep up with the group, and taking a turn carrying some troop gear that was too much of a burden for some of our youngest scouts. I trusted others to lead the way and get us to the campsite. This role, the “Sweep” in hiking terms, is one that I have taken on not just travelling with large groups of teens, but in the figurative sense as a Sweep in the Boston College Halftime Program on multiple occasions.

For each session of the Halftime Retreat program, there are 7-8 faculty and staff “Sweeps”. We are there to give two five-minute talks and be a part of student small discussion groups. The retreat is focused on “vocational discernment,” encouraging students to reflect on lifetime pathways that could be fulfilling for them. As sweeps, we share about challenging decisions we have made in our own lives, and about experiences and interactions that influenced us along the way. I enjoy these opportunities
to be in community with students, to hear their hopes and what they are struggling with. We provide encouragement for those who need it and hopefully lighten their burdens along the way by talking about our own successes and failures and by providing a listening ear.

Participation in Halftime has been meaningful to me. Spending a weekend interacting with students helped me to better understand their lives outside the classroom. It also provided an opportunity to reflect on my own journey and the challenging decisions that I have made along the way. Even though
I am at a very different life stage than the students, taking time to slow down and reflect on the big questions that frame the weekend leaves me refreshed and hopeful.

As someone who studies college students and student engagement, I know that Halftime is a great program for students in their sophomore and junior years. It provides a space to think about where they are going, what they want to do in the future, and hopefully make new connections along the way.

I also think Halftime is a model program for involving faculty in ways that are realistic and meaningful. In order to help faculty encourage students to engage in productive discernment at a retreat like this, the university is thoughtful about how to engage us. Staff provide preparation sessions that are short, helpful, and informative, with a focus on introductions and receiving information so we can feel comfortable and confident about the commitment. Staff also realize that participation is not part of the university’s reward structure for faculty, so they provide short commitments and thank all the participants at the end. They understand that faculty have busy lives and families, and they invite faculty families to come along. BC students loved hanging out with my kids during free time, and my kids still talk about going on retreats when they were little. A real benefit are the opportunities to get to know other faculty. I have made connections at retreats that continue to this day.

For both students and faculty, then, a retreat like Halftime can provide important opportunities to reflect on life purpose and engage in productive discernment. Whether on the trail or a retreat weekend, I’ve learned that being a Sweep can help lighten burdens, offer encouragement and make
sure no one is left behind.