From July 13–15, 2025, a group of students and faculty from Japan International Christian University Foundation (ICU) gathered for their first retreat at The Uplands Center in Central New York. The immersive experience was designed to foster personal reflection, group connection, and visionary thinking aligned with ICU’s mission: to cultivate globally-minded citizens committed to peace and the well-being of humanity. Set in the serene natural surroundings of the Uplands, the retreat served as a meaningful moment during the group’s stay in New York, providing space to deepen conversations, explore nature, and ground their emerging ideas for social impact.
The retreat opened on Sunday with a nourishing lunch, before orienting in the space through a guided tour of the center and wellness walk outdoors. The day continued with free time for rest or leisure activities—including lawn games and the spa—before transitioning into the first group session led by ICU facilitators. The evening concluded with a swordfish kabob dinner and a fireside chat around the bonfire, where each student shared what they liked about their first time in NYC while enjoying s’mores before the evening thunderstorms rolled in.
Monday focused on the theme of grounding into intention, beginning with a morning meditation and followed by group sessions centered on team connection and tuning into their social impact project. The group enjoyed a hands-on garden garlic harvest and no-till bed build, followed by a lunch of fresh garden carrot soup. They continued feeling into their project planning intention by creating visual representations of their individual social impact visions through a metaphorical art activity led by Uplands staff. The evening was filled with applause during the sharing of value collages, with impromptu breaks to frolic and take group photos in the glow of the sunset sky—clouds set misty and low in the valley below. It was a real show of magic at the Uplands, where one student wrote, “The path to the vista gave me the impression that it is the closest place to heaven.”
On the final day, the group took part in a gentle yoga class before diving into their culminating session. The morning concluded with solo time for a long walk of integration and finding a favorite place on the land for reflection. After a final grounding meal together of tasty stew and cornbread, the retreat closed with written gratitudes and a short sharing of appreciations. The retreat served as both a reflective anchor and a springboard, preparing participants for their continued journey—including the next stop in Woodstock—and their broader life paths as globally engaged citizens.
