Ready to lead

Scaling ropes, solving challenges and building action plans, nearly 160 Wright State University students spent part of their summer sharpening leadership skills at retreats that prepared them to make a difference on campus.

Now in its 19th year, the Established Leadership Retreat took place on July 19-21 at Camp Joy in Clarksville, Ohio, bringing returning student leaders together to strengthen relationships and plan for the new academic year.

RaiderCamp, held on Aug. 15-17 on Wright State’s Dayton Campus, welcomed incoming first-year students and helped them discover resources to support their success.

“These students are really our most engaged students,” said Gina Keucher, assistant director of Student Involvement and Leadership. “They really lead our students in great ways.”

Angela Brummett Yates, a first-year student majoring in computer science, signed up for RaiderCamp after deciding to return to college at age 40.

“The experience is life-changing,” she said.

Both retreats consisted of interactive team building and experiential-based activities, workshops and presentations that challenged and engaged students. RaiderCamp participants also connected with current student leaders and completed leadership assessments to identify their leadership strengths.

The Established Leadership Retreat concluded with students creating action plans for the 2025–2026 academic year, ensuring lessons learned would impact campus life.

“These students are the ones who make a difference on campus,” said Keucher. “They are building collaborative partnerships, which is a great way to make our school better.”