Business faculty, staff retreat to Fort Campbell
Kim Chaudoin | 615.966.6494 |
The faculty that, um, rappels together, stays together, right?
Lipscomb’s College of Business thinks so.
To prepare for the start of the fall semester, College of Business faculty and staff ventured to Fort Campbell, Ky., on Aug. 6 to visit the United States Army installation that is home to the 101st Airborne Division and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment for a faculty retreat.
The idea to hold a retreat and start-of-school meetings at a military installation may seem like an unusual idea, but it made perfect sense to Ray Eldridge, interim dean of the College of Business, who completed more than 20 years as a U.S. Army officer before beginning a career in academics.
“I wanted us to do something a little different this year as a group that would strengthen us as a team, get us out of our comfort zone and be fun,” said Eldridge, who joined the Lipscomb faculty in 2008 after serving in professorships at Syracuse University and Freed-Hardeman University. “The U.S. Army is the largest organization in the country. There is a great deal we can learn from the Army from a business perspective, about technology and about working efficiently as a team.”
Business faculty and staff met at division headquarters on the post where they learned about the history, operations, logistics and economic impact of the installation. They toured the base as well as the 101st Airborne Museum and ate at one of the dining facilities with the 5th Group Special Forces. The group also got an up-close and hands-on look at the installation’s Engagement Center, which features an indoor simulation firing range, as they participated in a “shoot-don’t-shoot” exercise as well as target shooting.
“Our team got to try their hand at firing weapons in this simulation center, which was fun,” said Eldridge. “But they also got to see cutting-edge technology in action and to understand the efficiencies of this simulation, that it effectively trains individuals but also saves thousands of dollars in live ammunition.”
The group also toured the Sabalauski Air Assault School, where they learned about the operation and its leadership. While there, faculty and staff were given the opportunity to rappel off the school’s 34-foot-tall training tower. Eldridge said nearly all of the 27 business faculty and staff in attendance accepted the challenge and tried their hand at rappelling.
Allison Duke, associate professor of management, said the retreat gave her an opportunity to connect on a deeper level with her colleagues and to reenergize for the new academic year. The biggest benefit was overcoming her fears, she said.
“I had to get out of my comfort zone. I had to learn to step out there and overcome my fears,” said Duke, who also leads the school’s graduate program in human resources. “I have a horrible fear of heights, but I really wanted to rappel. I was the last to go and almost backed out when I learned how far off the ground I was. But I knew there were two trained professionals making sure I would make it down safely.
“That translated well into what we do at Lipscomb. We do lots of things that push us outside our comfort zone, but we have to remember that we have a team of trained professionals (our colleagues) who are here to support us through those experiences.”
Getting to know colleagues outside of the classroom setting was one of the most beneficial aspects of the retreat for Joe Ivey, clinical professor of management, executive director of Lipscomb’s Center for Entrepreneurship and associate dean of graduate business.
“It is important for us to have time to get to know each other in a setting other than work,” he said. “I greatly enjoyed the camaraderie and seeing us having fun. I learned that my colleagues are so much more than the disciplines we teach. Any time you can see and understand more about a person, you can work together more effectively.”
Team building was another valuable aspect of the day.
"Awesome day playing Army,” said Chuck Capps, associate professor of management. “I am a retired Air Force officer so it was very interesting for me to see how military training technology has advanced. And I was completely blown away by the adventurous spirit of our faculty and staff. We all knew that secretly, Dr. Eldridge's goal was 'teambuilding.' Don't tell him know we all think it was a brilliant move that was incredibly successful!”
For Sonya Colvert, administrative assistant in the College of Business, the retreat reinforced the idea that the faculty and staff are family.
“Seeing each other in an environment radically different than what we do on a daily basis is so fun and so helpful,” said Colvert. “It reinforced the feeling of family and helped to see each other in a new light. Overall, it was wonderful to see everyone participating in the activities with a feeling of accomplishment. And I loved the encouragement everyone gave while others took their turn rappelling.”
Duke said the retreat will definitely have an impact on college operations this year.
“When you see your colleagues in a different setting and enjoying themselves so much, you know you work with some amazing, fun people who can work together to lead the College of Business forward,” she said. “It was an incredible way to start the semester. I've been to lots of retreats that convey good information, but to have an engaging experience was something that made me really excited about working with everyone to create an even better College of Business this year.”
Mission accomplished. Eldridge said he thinks this year’s faculty retreat will make a difference this year.
“It was a day filled with professional development, camaraderie, team-building and so much more,” he said. “The underlying theme was working together and having a mission. I wanted them to know that I care that they are here and that they are valued.”
For more information about the College of Business, visit business.lipscomb.edu.