Alumni Relations Staff Retreat

by Lisa Marie Patzer

Nicole Maloy, Trina Middleton, Marge Tinsley, Trey Popp , and Jason Strohl, did a great job organizing the 2012 Penn Alumni Relations Staff Retreat. They were very enthusiastic, donning stereotypical French artist attire, and speaking in various improvised accents.

Three Committee Members

The theme of the retreat was Arts & Culture and we spent the day off campus at the Fleisher Art Memorial.  We participated in several creative activities, including group map making, book binding, ceramic tile creation and self-portraits! Here are some of the pieces we made during the day:

Group Map of Philly 1

Book Binding (featuring cats)

Symbol and Word Exercise

Guided Drawing

Guided Drawing 2

The keynote speaker for the day was Dr. Richard Cooper.  He taught us tricks for improving our memories and organizing our thoughts.  As a test of how well we remember, we were asked to observe everything in the room at the beginning of the day.  Later, this still life was removed from the room and we had to try and remember what objects were present and where they were placed.  At least one person cheated and took a photo with their smart phone.

Still Life for Memory Test

My favorite part of the day was seeing my co-workers express their creativity. The retreat was a great way to start the summer off on a positive, collaborative note.