From October 31 to November 2, the Division of Student Affairs took to the Woodloch Resort in Hawley, PA, to guide student leaders in developing their leadership skills.
The theme of the weekend was Transformational Leadership, and 50 students from Student Affairs at Kean’s Union and Ocean campuses participated in team-building exercises and activities, including escape rooms and intimate conversations on boundaries and courage.
The weekend also included members of New Jersey City University (NJCU) Student Life who joined to connect as future members of the Kean community, in light of the merger taking effect on July 1, 2026.
After a welcome and introductions from Student Affairs professional staff, Punit Patel, Director of Residence Life, and Katrina Boseman, Special Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs--who planned the weekend from location to day-to-day details--discussed the expectations of the weekened and also acknowledged the other Pro-staff present, receiving enthusiastic applause from students.
The first night was all about adventure,. Students explored new friendships and the resort’s amenities, while others participated in the resort’s Haunted Walk, coordinated by Kean staff, as a team-building activity. The next morning marked, the first official day of the Student Leadership Retreat.
The morning began with remarks from the Vice President of Student Affairs, Kerrin Lyles, who welcomed students with a segment of "About Last Night," during which students discussed the activities they participated in around the resort. He then encouraged students to pay attention to one another and build connections.
“Meet new people, that’s why we are here. If you’re sitting in a spot right now that was the same spot you were sitting in yesterday, that’s fine, but when we come back from lunch, I’m going to challenge you to move around a little bit,” he said. “As I was walking around here, there were students at a table introducing themselves. I love that, that’s what this is about.”
Vice President Lyles then introduced the speaker for the weekend, Tynisha Coleman, MCRP, PCC, a Leadership Development Strategist and Learning and Development Consultant, the CEO and Principal Consultant of Exalt Consulting, and an ICF-certified Coach.
“Leadership is not about titles; you are already leading,” Coleman affirmed.
Her workshops were held in sessions. The first covered "Your Leadership Superpower," invited students to reflecte on how they support others and what they admire about the leaders in their lives. Coleman also discussed a leader's influence and the Four Keys of Transformational Leadership: Inspire, Individual Support, Innovate, and Integrity.
Jordan Haynes, a Senior Molecular Biology major representing the Office of Residence Life, shared her personal take on leadership and what it means to her.
“It’s really about inspiring, not just myself but others [and] using the lessons and themes of growth, motivation, and support to really establish a community,” Haynes said. “Also, just further expanding beyond that and reaching out to people further than my department and seeing how I can change lives around campus.”
The session became a moment of realization for students, many of them understanding the impact they already have and how they can further contribute to not just Kean’s success, but to their own success, as many of them prepare to embark on separate journeys.
Session 2 focused on communication, trust, and boundaries. Coleman led students in an exercise where they stood or sat down if they had ever been in situations where their trust and boundaries were compromised.
“People are going to people,” the CEO said, emphasizing the importance of remaining considerate in the face of adversity.
Students also created their own boundary statements and scripts, clearly and respectfully expressing their unwillingness to endure situations they did not want to be in. This session happened to be one that resonated with students the most.
Mateo Mesa, a Junior Architecture major and a student worker from the Miron Student Center, discussed the impact the workshop had on him.
“I feel like it’s so hard as a leader to be able to be vulnerable and tell people that… you need your space to function,” he said. “I know that’s something I go through where I wanted to do so many things, but then I find myself not being able to and then get it gets to a point to where I’m burning out.
In addition, Liyah Rodriguez, a Senior Psychology major at NJCU, who attended the retreat as a representative of the Student Activities Board, also found herself connecting with afternoon's themes.
“Communication impacted me the most throughout this retreat because I’m not doing this by myself, I’m doing this with other people, especially other people I don’t know, so getting to know them, getting to know their perspectives, and getting that feedback and support has really helped me throughout my time here,” she reflected.
As the day wrapped up, Session 3 focused on the "Coaching Mindset" and gave students a chance to put everything they learned into perspective and think about how to move forward.
“Coaching is about curiosity, not control,” Coleman concluded.
The third day was bittersweet as the retreat came to a close. Vice President Lyles led his final "About Last Night" of the weekend, and guest speaker Tynisha Coleman led her final activity, a toss-and-tell game, during which students discussed times they stepped forward with courage before coming together for a final circle moment.
Chris Rhoden, a Senior Public Administration major and Student Veteran from Kean Ocean, took a moment to reflect on the weekend and discussed what makes him a leader.
“My communication, ambition, being goal-oriented, and being an older student coming into the University with a lot of life experience, motivates me in advising younger students.”
While the weekend affirmed students, it also gave them skills to focus on for growth and memorable gems that will stay with them.
Omariy Suriel, a Senior Biology major at NJCU, who represented the TriO Learning Community Program and EOF, shared some of the llife lessons she’ll carry with her into her professional career.
“Being consistent and being a motivation for other people that need my help and need my knowledge so I can walk them in the right direction,” she concluded.
As students and staff prepared to depart, they take memories and wisdom that they will draw on and return to as they grow in their academic and professional lives. The Student Leadership Retreat proved to be a success as students walked away with new connections and a deeper understanding of who they can be as leaders.
