COR Leadership Retreat Planning Continues

By Robert Bember
Senior Communications Advisor

We’re inching closer and closer to the inaugural COR Leadership Retreat this August, and we could not be more excited to bring together the 12 stand-out brothers chosen from our pool of applicants to join us in Houston on August 6.

Sorting through the applications proved to be a more difficult task than anyone anticipated. We could have blindly selected any 12 men from this pool and had a strong group of brothers for the retreat. It took much time, effort and prayer to determine those 12 brothers. Those brothers are:

Zack Cartmel: TCU

Andrew Cates: SMU

Cole Crawford: Missouri

Will Culpepper: Auburn

Blake Hankins: Tennessee

Anthony Harb: Tennessee

Harrison Jenkins: Vanderbilt

Trent Madden: Missouri

Forrest McDougal: Central Arkansas

Zach Van Meter: OU

Connor Washington: Texas A&M

Jon Weiser: Texas A&M

The men that have been chosen for the COR Leadership Retreat will without a doubt help us to accomplish a major goal for this retreat: to develop brothers as leaders so that they can turn around and further develop their chapter. From the retreat, the National Staff and Board expect there to be a natural overflow and pouring down of impact. As we make a direct investment into these brothers, we are making an indirect investment into all of the brothers. These men will be able to share what they have learned with their brothers and lead their brothers more effectively.

That’s why it was absolutely imperative for us to compile a healthy number of strong applications and choose wisely during the application process. Mission accomplished. So what will this direct investment look like?

The National Staff and Board continue to collaborate to develop a curriculum for the retreat. The sessions will be centered around exposing the brothers to the workforce as well as teaching on specific character attributes that will help them excel professionally, academically and spiritually.

During the Houston and Dallas stretches of the retreat, attendants will meet with board members and prominent alumni at their place of employment. The alumnus will share his testimony with the attendants, as well as how they got into their field. From there, the alumnus will show the group around their place of employment, such as a law office, hospital or commercial real estate site. The alumnus will get to show and tell about their career and provide pertinent information to individuals who may be interested in that field.

Following the hands-on experience, the group will step back and broaden the perspective. Each alumnus will teach on a specific character attribute that has allowed him to excel in his role. As the retreat progresses, the attendants will be taught on a variety of attributes all intended to help paint a full picture of how to grow in influence in any area. A leader without influence is not a leader at all.

An intentional spiritual element will be incorporated into the retreat in order to continue to develop the brothers as sheep of Christ and shepherds of men. During the Dallas portion of the trip, brothers will spend time with three alumni who currently serve as pastors in the area.

Though planning a curriculum will remain at the forefront of our minds, we know that the free time allotted to the brothers has unquantifiable benefits. As these brothers from nine different chapters dwell together in unity, we look forward to seeing how they grow together and grow as individuals.

Please continue to pray for the COR Leadership Retreat. Planning a two-week, three-city retreat is no small task, but we know the pay off for these men and the fraternity is worth the effort. Pray for diligence in planning, a willingness to learn and a spirit of unity over the retreat.