Wheaton College/UWC Follow-up Report
October 16, 2009
“Moving Forward – Staying Ahead”
Group Photo of 2009 Wheaton College/UWC retreat participants
United World College (UWC) was founded on the principle that “education should be a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future”. UWC students carry with them a special mission to follow through on these ideals. Last year, Wheaton College with support from Diana Davis Spencer ‘60, Trustee Emerita, and the Shelby Cullom Davis Foundation, provided a forum for UWC students to engage in a weekend of discussion designed to reconnect them with core UWC ideals. This year continued this “new tradition” and built on the success of last year. Once again we are grateful for the support of Diana Davis Spencer ‘60, Trustee Emerita, and the Shelby Cullom Davis Foundation.
Moving Forward
Keeping in mind the goal of building on the discussions of last year, the program sought to help students develop some hands-on skills necessary to actively engage with real world problems. In addition, facilitators raised important questions about individual identity and social responsibility as well as providing the opportunity for UWC students to strengthen their networks with each other. It is these connections that we believe will serve as the basis of future achievements.
Retreat Facilitators
Two very accomplished individuals facilitated this weekend as they sought to challenge participants’ perceptions of themselves and assist them in “expanding the realm of the possible”. Both brought a rich wealth of knowledge and experience and raised questions about self, and the responsibility of privilege. In addition, they provided students very practical advice about the planning and implementation of grassroots projects.
Peter Dalglish
Founder of Street Kids International, Mr. Dalglish is a leading authority on working children, street children, and war-affected children. A graduate from Stanford University and Dalhousie Law School, Peter Dalglish organized an airlift of food and medical 
supplies from Canada to a starving African nation. In 1986, Peter Dalglish began the Sudan’s first technical training school for street children, funded by Bob Geldof of Band Aid. In the same year, he set up a bicycle courier service run entirely by street children in Khartoum. In 1988, in recognition of his efforts on behalf of destitute African children, he was selected by the Junior Chamber International as one of the ten outstanding young people of the world.
Kenneth Williams Ed.D.
Professor Williams is an Assistant Professor of Intercultural Service, Leadership, and Management at World Learning, School for International Training Graduate Institute. Dr. Williams completed his doctorate in organization and leadership at Columbia University. He teaches Social Identity, Organizational Behavior, and Practitioner Inquiry. Williams has taught and lived in the U.K., Bermuda, Bangladesh, Thailand, Bermuda, Jamaica, and the United States, as well as in Barbados, where he founded a number of small- and medium-sized enterprises.
Friday – October 9th
Events began at Wheaton College with students checking in on Friday evening. Starting at 2PM students arrived and reported to Wheaton College’s Balfour Hood Atrium. There they were greeted and received their welcome packet. Students who arrive before 7PM were given a tour of the new “UWC House” in the Davis International House, which was recently refurbished thanks to the generosity of Diana Davis Spencer ‘60. Food and refreshments were provided as students gathered.
Ken Williams conducts introduces “the World Cafe”
Friday – October 9th – (cont.)
Later in the evening there was a brief introduction by Alfredo Varela, Dean for the Center of Global Education and a welcome by Linda Eisenmann, Provost. This was followed by a presentation by recent Wheaton Alumnae, Ann Kwan ‘09. Ms. Kwan one of the founders of this retreat, discussed the role networking has had in generating opportunities in her life after Wheaton and provided some practical tips for students looking to take the next step in their careers.
Buses left for YMCA Camp Burgess on the Cape at about 8PM. Upon arrival the 60 participants (57 students and staff) from 15 colleges and 25 countries engaged in a series of ice-breaking exercises in preparation for a weekend of focused conversation. While most came from colleges in the Northeast, one group of students drove over 14 hours form Earlham College in Indiana to be with us this weekend.
Saturday – October 10th
Morning/Early Afternoon –
After some student initiated warm-up sessions, Peter Dalglish began the day by raising questions important to the professional and personal development of all those committed to world peace and social justice.
Who am I to think that I can make a real contribution or change? Can I choose not to make a difference? If change affects the “status quo” for my friends and family is it worth the risks? For many UWC students these questions challenged the very core of their beliefs and forced them to examine the structure of the institutions they came from. Presenting examples from his rich vault of experiences “Peter” made a compelling case for confronting “the way things are” in exchange for the possibilities of “what should be”.
Team-building exercises provided a forum for physical expression of ideas and networking
Kenneth Williams followed this session by introducing “The World Cafe” – a technique for engaged conversation. This provided a space to work through some of the questions raised by Peter and ensured that everyone actively contributed to the discussion. Students were also able to address their own specific areas of interest such as child labor, the environment, and women’s rights.
Leadership and Team-building
Later in the afternoon everyone participated in a series of physical team-building exercises. Because the networks created now serve as the basis of future accomplishments, these exercises gave participants the opportunity to build bonds of trust and mutual respect. This is part of the Camp Burgess & Hayward experience and was lead by their Leadership staff.
“Round the Tables”
Energized, students were ready to continue tackling the difficult questions presented earlier in the day. So over dinner they divided themselves into three groups: 1)UWC topics and issues, 2)Identity, class, and social justice, and 3)Looking beyond the UWC college experience. For about 90 minutes participants moved from table to table contributing to each discussion. President Ronald Crutcher and Betty Neal Crutcher, who had arrived earlier in the day, joined in these discussions. President Crutcher also took the opportunity to welcome the participants and to thank Wheaton students for all their hard work in organizing the retreat.
“Together We Will Move with the World”
After a full day, everyone gathered for an evening of celebration and rejoiced in the new friendships created, the discoveries made, and the opportunities that await us. An “open mic” session provided the opportunity for creative expression of the emotions and ideas generated throughout the day.
Sunday – October 11th
What to do? How to do it?
Early Sunday morning, Peter Dalglish re-engaged with participants. This time the group focused on specific projects areas and conceptualized concrete avenues for taking on some daunting issues such as dwindling water resources, child labor, human trafficking and unequal access to education. Focus was on practical issues such as engaging stakeholders, identifying resources, and making decisions about the organizational structure of a movement.
President Crutcher and Betty Crutcher join in discussions with students
UWC “In Action” - Poster Session
Participants were invited to share projects they have worked on since leaving their UWC campus or ideas for projects they hoped to create. This open forum was designed to provide an opportunity to network and raise awareness about issues of importance.