The Reimagining Leadership Retreat provides a thoughtful, supportive community space for students and student leaders to come together to reflect upon the past year and share their dreams about the year to come.
Join the full day event at Hart House Farm on Saturday, August 9, 2025. Transportation and food will be provided.
Students will reflect upon their understanding of themselves as leaders, engage in fun and collaborative activities with their peers, and delve into how they might use their leadership skills within their broader communities.
Themes of self-awareness, communication, leadership, social justice, allyship and community will be explored.
Reimagining Leadership Retreat 2025 Agenda
Time | Retreat Sessions |
---|---|
8 – 9 a.m. | Departure from St. George and Travel to Hart House Farm |
9 – 9:15 a.m. | Disembark bus / buffer time |
9:15 – 10:20 a.m. | Welcome, Intros, Opening Remarks, Land Acknowledgement, Black Ancestral Acknowledgement Icebreakers, guidelines |
10:20 – 10:30 a.m. | Break |
10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Workshop 1: Communication, Conflict and Teams |
12 – 1 p.m. | Lunch |
1 – 2 p.m. | Indigenous Guided Walk & Reflection activity |
2 – 2:20 p.m. | Nutritional Break and Afternoon Tea |
2:20 – 4 p.m. | Workshop 2: Incorporating Allyship & Social Justice into your Leadership |
4 – 5:45 p.m. | Cooperative Games OR unstructured time (feel it out) |
5:45 – 7 p.m. | Dinner & social & clean up together |
5:45 – 7 p.m. | Workshop 3: Examining the Social Change Ecosystem Framework |
7 – 8 p.m. | Campfire Reflection and Wrap up to the day: Community circle, gratitude, sharing intention for the year ahead, something you’re letting go of, the element they would like to embrace in their leadership and why |
8 – 9:30 p.m. | Travel back to Toronto |
9 p.m. | Goodbyes and Goodnights |
Guest Facilitator Profiles

Dr. Nisha Toomey
Guest Facilitator
Nisha Toomey is a Desi settler based in Tkaronto, a facilitator, educator, researcher and migrant rights activist. She holds a PhD in Social Justice Education at the University of Toronto and is currently Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the Munk School of Global Affairs. Her research examines the links between settler colonialism, capitalism and land theft in the context of travel, migration, and humanitarianism and international aid work. Some of Nisha’s writing appears in Society and Space Magazine, Mobilities, Critical Ethnic Studies, the International Journal of Border and Migration Studies, and book chapters in the Handbook of Qualitative Cross- Cultural Research, Indigenous Reconciliation and Decolonization, and Toward What Justice?

Amanda Andrews
Guest Facilitator
Amanda is an Anishnawbe Kwe from Neyaashiinigmiing Unceded First Nation, Ontario. Amandas is currently in the role of Indigenous Career Educator with Career Exploration and Education, Student Life. She is an educator, advisor, and youth worker with over a decade of experience in the non-profit sector, dedicated to supporting Indigenous youth and communities. Amanda has worked with various organizations, with a background in psychology, business administration, and special education. Passionate about developing culturally relevant programming, she focuses on helping Indigenous students succeed by integrating Indigenous ways of knowing into career learning. Amanda also works to enhance connections between Indigenous students and employers, striving to increase access and engagement in career opportunities for underrepresented groups.
Apply for the Reimagining Leadership Retreat 2025
Apply for the Reimagining Leadership Retreat 2025 by Tuesday, July 29 at 11:59 p.m.
The retreat committee will review all applications and notify successful applicants by Friday, August 1.
Accepted applicants are required to attend:
- ONE of the virtual Meet and Greet sessions on either Tuesday, August 6 or Wednesday, August 7 from 6 – 6:45 p.m.
- The Retreat on Saturday, August 9
-
What Students Are Saying
RATE
US2 votes
The Reimagining Leadership Retreat was an opportunity like no other and the best possible introduction to the U of T community. It was a platform for authentic, open, and critical conversations about leadership, social justice, and world issues. The knowledge and lived experiences that attendees and facilitators brought were diverse and truly exceeded all expectations. Siobhan Stewart and Camille de Lacy's expertise and enthusiasm created a unique environment for self-reflection, while Dr. Nisha Toomey's equity-based, interconnected approach cultivated a much-needed space for critical learning that is often lacking in activist circles. The Indigenous guided walk, led by Amanda Andrews, provided a space to learn about Indigenous teachings and practices while also developing a nuanced understanding of reconciliation in the present day.
For me, the Reimagining Leadership Retreat was an opportunity to push the boundaries of my understanding, confront my own biases and misconceptions, and make meaningful connections with the U of T community. I would recommend this experience to any student who is looking to build lasting relationships, learn through an equity-based and critical lens, and explore what leadership means to them. A retreat like this not only broadens our perspectives but also empowers us to become more thoughtful and inclusive leaders. It is an invaluable experience for anyone committed to driving positive change within and beyond the U of T community
Lia Chang, First Year Undergraduate Student
Facilitators are amazing, caring, and did their best. Thank you so much for the organization, facilitation, and passion for student empowerment. I discovered the importance of authenticity in leadership and the multiple roles that leaders can play through the model of social change. The power of solidarity in movement and momentum building was incredibly meaningful for me and I was able to experience a deep self-reflection of my values and had powerful conversations in my small group discussions. The time for the indigenous walk was mind blowing and connecting me with the land and indigenous culture that I had never experienced.
Qiongli Zhu, Fourth Year PhD Student