Holloman Retreat gives first-year Brinkley-Lane Scholars community

Community is a word repeated by the first-year Brinkley-Lane Scholars when reflecting on their time during the Holloman Retreat in Ocracoke.

“The retreat helped make ECU feel more like a community and less like a huge, unfamiliar campus,” said Whitney Roberts, first-year public health major. “Before the retreat, I was excited to start college, but I was also nervous about finding my place and meeting people. Getting to know my cohort beforehand gave me a sense of familiarity that I really appreciated once we got to campus.”

The Holloman Retreat is a team-building retreat led by the Brinkley-Lane Scholars Roundtable that prepares the newest cohort of scholars for life at ECU and what they can expect during their undergraduate years as a Brinkley-Lane Scholar.

During the retreat, first-year scholars participate in a variety of activities that help them learn more about themselves and each other. These activities also serve to create community in the cohort.

“It’s a community that cares about you, and a community that wants you to succeed, to do well in everything that you do, and who are there to help you with those resources,” said Penny Smith, a first-year nursing major.

“A highlight of my time in Ocracoke is the beach games we played together on day 2,” said Addison Woods, a first-year speech and hearing science major. “These games stand out to me because of the laughs we shared. Whether it was choreographing a 30-second dance to ‘Under the Sea,’ or burying Ankit under the sand, we made lasting memories with each other and truly bonded.”

Creating connections

The time on the island provided plenty of unscheduled moments for the first-years to create deep connections.

“We were talking nonstop this entire trip,” Smith said. “They’re such a great cohort. … “We’re all from different walks of like and so everybody’s able to add a different perspective.”

Like all the Brinkley-Lane high-impact experiences, students had a chance to immerse themselves in the local community. One of these experiences included a tour of the Ocracoke Visitor Center with Peter Vankevich, the co-owner and co-publisher of the Ocracoke Observer newspaper.

“The highlight of my time at Ocracoke was getting the chance to hear the many anecdotes that Mr. Peter Vankevich had to offer,” said Malory Oakley, first-year neuroscience and psychology major. “I especially enjoyed the history of the island as well as the many instances of culture seen throughout the residents’ everyday lives. This stood out to me as it came directly from a man who has dedicated himself to improving and providing for his home and community. It was inspiring to witness the true warmth that can only be found on Ocracoke.”

Upperclassmen experience

For Hannah Escobar, returning to Ocracoke as the Holloman Retreat co-chair was an interesting experience. During her first year, the trip to Ocracoke was cut short due to an impending hurricane and the majority of the retreat took place in Greenville.

“Many aspects of the experience were completely new for me as well,” said Escobar, a second year nursing major. “In a way, it felt like I got to experience the wonders of the island for the first time alongside the new cohort. It was an incredible opportunity.”

With her own memories of the first year at ECU fresh in her mind, Escobar is hopeful that the new cohort will understand how much there is to look forward to during their college experience and how much you will learn about yourself.

Third year neuroscience major Diya Thaker pulled from her own experiences when helping craft this year’s retreat.

“I remember being a little nervous coming in and not really knowing what to expect, so I tried to be intentional about making the first years feel welcomed and comfortable,” she said. “I also remember how meaningful it was when an upperclassman took the time to talk to me or and ask questions about myself. This year, we strived to create more opportunities for those small interactions to make the community feel much more approachable, and I hope that had a positive impact on the first-years!”

Those moments of connection are part of what makes the Brinkley-Lane Scholars community so special — a strong community there for each other.

“The Brinkley-Lane Scholars are such a diverse group of people with different interests, majors, and goals, but the retreat showed me how quickly those differences can turn into opportunities to learn from and support one another,” she said. “I hope the first years feel comfortable reaching out, getting involved, and building relationships with both their cohort and upperclassmen.”