ABOUT THE PROGRAM
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College Retreat (formerly “Freshman
Retreat”) is a weekend residential program for first- and second-year Ismaili college
students. The program aims to bring students from various regions together at a campsite
for a weekend of networking, outdoor activities, and fun! Students can participate in
activities such as ziplining, archery, and swimming, depending on the site. Students
learn about navigating internships and mental health, while also toasting s’mores and
enjoying nature. Implemented originally in 2022, College Retreat is a program of the Aga
Khan Youth and Sports Board (AKYSB) for the United States.
Fall 2025
The Fall College Retreats will take place from Friday, September 26 - Sunday, September 28 at Lutherhill Camp & Retreat and Friday, October 24 - Sunday, October 26 at YMCA Camp Cosby. For either Retreat, students should plan on arriving Friday evening around 5PM and departing Sunday afternoon after 2PM.
Freshmen and sophomores in undergraduate programs from the following regions are eligible to attend the program:
Students that have previously attended a College Retreat are not
eligible either of the Fall College Retreat programs.
Transportation
If you have trouble booking flights or have questions around transportation, please email us at team@ysbcollegeretreat.org.
Texas Retreat
Transportation will be provided from Dallas, San Antonio and Austin on Friday afternoon to the site. Transportation will also be available on Sunday afternoon to return back to these cities. Students arriving from other regions by flight will be provided airport rides. Students flying into Houston or Austin should aim to land no later than 2:00PM on Friday, September 26 in order to take advantage of rides from the airport, and to take the bus with other students to the site later in the afternoon. Students flying out of Houston or Austin should book flights at 5:30pm or later on Sunday, September 28 to take advantage of Retreat-provided transportation back to the airport.
Lutherhill Camp & Retreat is about 1 hour from metro Austin, 1.5 hours from metro Houston, and 2 hours from San Antonio and George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). More information on the site can be found here.
Alabama Retreat
Transportation will be provided from a metro Atlanta Jamatkhana on Friday afternoon to the site. Transportation will also be available on Sunday afternoon to return back to Atlanta Northeast JK. Students arriving from other regions by flight will be provided airport rides. Students flying into Atlanta should aim to land no later than 2:00PM on Friday in order to take the bus with other students to the site later in the afternoon.
YMCA Camp Cosby is about 1 hour from Birmingham, 2.5 hours from Atlanta Northeast JK and 2 hours from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). More information on the site can be found here.
Purpose + Content
The purpose of the retreat is to enable Ismaili college students to get to know other Ismaili college students from their own campus as well as other campuses in the region, so much of the weekend is designed to allow participants to get to know each other. The program schedule includes plenty of unstructured time during which participants can take advantage of the indoor and outdoor activities at the site or simply just hang out or relax. These outdoor activities include ropes courses, astronomy, archery, and more. Based on input from college students we will also be incorporating some sessions that allow incoming students to meet upperclassmen at their colleges who can provide tips on how to navigate campus and and other sessions through which program participants can learn about summer internships and career planning, mental health, navigating their faith, and resources for students on campus and through the Jamati Institutions.
An example program schedule from past retreats can be found below. Please note this schedule is an example and may be different from the schedule in Fall.
Sample Weekend Schedule*
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Questions or Concerns?
For questions about the Fall College Retreat programs or applications, please contact the College Retreat Team at team@ysbcollegeretreat.org.
Fall 2025
The Fall College Retreats will take place from Friday, September 26 - Sunday, September 28 at Lutherhill Camp & Retreat and Friday, October 24 - Sunday, October 26 at YMCA Camp Cosby. For either Retreat, students should plan on arriving Friday evening around 5PM and departing Sunday afternoon after 2PM.
Freshmen and sophomores in undergraduate programs from the following regions are eligible to attend the program:
- Lutherhill Camp & Retreat in LaGrange, TX: Central, Southwest, Midwest, and West regions
- YMCA Camp Cosby in Alpine, AL: Southeast, Northeast, Florida, and Midwest regions
Transportation
If you have trouble booking flights or have questions around transportation, please email us at team@ysbcollegeretreat.org.
Texas Retreat
Transportation will be provided from Dallas, San Antonio and Austin on Friday afternoon to the site. Transportation will also be available on Sunday afternoon to return back to these cities. Students arriving from other regions by flight will be provided airport rides. Students flying into Houston or Austin should aim to land no later than 2:00PM on Friday, September 26 in order to take advantage of rides from the airport, and to take the bus with other students to the site later in the afternoon. Students flying out of Houston or Austin should book flights at 5:30pm or later on Sunday, September 28 to take advantage of Retreat-provided transportation back to the airport.
Lutherhill Camp & Retreat is about 1 hour from metro Austin, 1.5 hours from metro Houston, and 2 hours from San Antonio and George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). More information on the site can be found here.
Alabama Retreat
Transportation will be provided from a metro Atlanta Jamatkhana on Friday afternoon to the site. Transportation will also be available on Sunday afternoon to return back to Atlanta Northeast JK. Students arriving from other regions by flight will be provided airport rides. Students flying into Atlanta should aim to land no later than 2:00PM on Friday in order to take the bus with other students to the site later in the afternoon.
YMCA Camp Cosby is about 1 hour from Birmingham, 2.5 hours from Atlanta Northeast JK and 2 hours from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). More information on the site can be found here.
Purpose + Content
The purpose of the retreat is to enable Ismaili college students to get to know other Ismaili college students from their own campus as well as other campuses in the region, so much of the weekend is designed to allow participants to get to know each other. The program schedule includes plenty of unstructured time during which participants can take advantage of the indoor and outdoor activities at the site or simply just hang out or relax. These outdoor activities include ropes courses, astronomy, archery, and more. Based on input from college students we will also be incorporating some sessions that allow incoming students to meet upperclassmen at their colleges who can provide tips on how to navigate campus and and other sessions through which program participants can learn about summer internships and career planning, mental health, navigating their faith, and resources for students on campus and through the Jamati Institutions.
An example program schedule from past retreats can be found below. Please note this schedule is an example and may be different from the schedule in Fall.
Sample Weekend Schedule*
Friday
- 5:00 - 6:00 PM Participant Check-In
- 6:15 - 7:00 PM Dinner
- 7:00 - 7:30 PM Prayer Gathering
- 7:45 - 8:45 PM Mini-Mixers
- 9:00 - 12:00 AM Unstructured Time
- 12:00 - 12:15 AM Transition to Cabins
Saturday
- 8:15 - 9:00 AM Breakfast
- 9:00 - 9:15 AM Morning Prayer Gathering
- 10:20 - 11:35 AM Content Rotating Block 1
- 11:45 - 12:45 PM Lunch // Group Photo
- 1:00 - 2:15 PM Content Rotating Block 2
- 3:30 - 5:40 PM Unstructured Time
- 6:00 - 6:45 PM Dinner
- 7:00 - 7:30 PM Evening Prayer Gathering
- 7:30 - 9:00 PM Campfire // Smores // Activity
- 9:15 - 12:45 AM Evening Activity // Unstructured Time
- 12:45 - 1:00 AM Transition to cabins
Sunday
- 8:15 - 9:00 AM Breakfast // Departure Prep
- 9:00 - 9:15 AM Morning Prayer Gathering
- 9:55 - 11:15 AM Content Rotating Block 3
- 11:30 - 12:15 PM Lunch
- 12:15 - 1:15 PM Unstructured Time
- 1:25 - 1:50 PM Closing // Participant Survey
- 2:00 - 2:30 PM Departure
Questions or Concerns?
For questions about the Fall College Retreat programs or applications, please contact the College Retreat Team at team@ysbcollegeretreat.org.