September 24, 2024

In preparation for the upcoming school year, 19 of our Mercy Home scholars recently traveled to LaSalle Manor in Plano, Ill., for two days of fun, inspiration, learning, and relaxation at our annual Scholar Retreat. Mercy Home scholars are former and transitioning residents who receive support from Mercy Home, such as scholarships, to attend high school, college, or even post-graduate programs.

The purpose of the Scholar Retreat is two-fold.  It is an opportunity for new scholars to be introduced to one another and to returning scholars, which encourages all to build a scholar community together. And it allows our Community Care team to meet with the scholars in person, review program expectations and guidelines, and present information on important topics and skills like self-care, time management, organization, mental health, and healthy relationships. There is also time for reflection and relaxation so that all our scholars return feeling refreshed and prepared for the year ahead.

Mercy Home scholars are awarded a scholarship for their education. Scholars include Mercy Home residents who will be transitioning out of our care or former residents who have been involved with a care manager for at least six months. Applications are submitted in January and scholars hear back about the results in April. The scholars take out federal loans, but Mercy Home pays the remaining college tuition and sometimes even housing as long as all requirements are met. As a bonus, scholars who earn Bs or better have their unsubsidized loan paid off at the end of the term.

This year’s retreat began with something new: an alumni panel consisting of four former scholars, Carlos, Alan, Lindsey, and Mary, held at the Home. Each panelist talked about their experiences living at Mercy Home, the supports and resources it provided for them, their experiences in college, ways they prioritized their time and wellness in school, their transition to a career, and other advice for current scholars. Our scholars also had the opportunity to ask questions and participate in small group discussions. 

“[The scholars] were really present and tuned in,” Katie Keller Smith, a member of the Community Care scholarship team, said. “They were taking notes, and you could have heard a pin drop [they were so focused].”

One of the important topics our alumni panel touched on was the pressure they felt to be perfect while in school. They were able to give advice about how to work through that feeling. They said that it was more important to show up, work hard, and be consistent than try to reach the elusive idea of perfection.

Following panel, the scholars and our coworkers traveled to LaSalle Manor. The afternoon at the retreat center was filled with fun ice breaker games and activities. That evening, college students in the program participated in a session called “Executive Functions to Balance School, Work and Other Priorities” while our high schoolers got together separately for their high school scholar group, which meets regularly throughout the school year.

On the second day of the retreat, the scholars participated in more sessions like “Recognize the Signs: Healthy vs. Unhealthy Relationships,” “TMI Online: Navigating the Digital World,” and “The Importance of Mental Health and Practicing Self-Care.” The college students also met for a team-building and goal-setting session, while the high schoolers had a more in-depth discussion about the scholar agreement. 

Throughout the two days spent at LaSalle Manor, the scholars had plenty of time to participate in fun free time activities like ping pong, swimming, tennis, basketball, volleyball, meditation, and coloring. Following dinner on day two, the scholars returned to Mercy Home feeling ready to succeed this upcoming school year. 

“I thought [the retreat] went really well,” Liz Kuhn Tomka, vice president of education and career resources, said. “We accomplished the goals we try to achieve [each year]. We have been intentional about making sure that as staff, we know what to expect of one another, and just making small improvements year to year.”

“It met the objectives, which were to make sure the scholars were able to build relationships with one another and see each other as sources of support and resources so that they feel connected to the scholarship program and our team,” Keller Smith added. 

At the end of the retreat, our scholars provided feedback about the weekend. Many noted that it was their favorite retreat. One scholar said that they learned they were not alone and could count on their care manager and Mercy Home for support throughout the year. Another said that they now feel prepared for their freshman year of college and have good ideas about how to maintain their grades, as well as physical and mental health. Many noted they strengthened relationships with other scholars and felt they left with a community that will support them. 

The Scholar Retreat is not the only event Community Care holds for our scholars. Our high school group will begin meeting regularly in September and all our scholars will come together in January for a dinner to prepare for their spring semester of school. There will also be an end-of-the-school-year celebration in early summer next year.

We are grateful to our scholar support team for their hard work and dedication not just to putting this incredible retreat together but also providing support to our scholars all year long. And we are grateful to friends like you who make programs like this possible for our young scholars through your support.