NSU students learn leadership at Disney Imagination Campus retreat

By Ashley Diaz and Cassandra Stevens •

NSU’s first annual Disney Imagination Campus Leadership Retreat will take place from Feb. 26 to March 1. The retreat allows students to learn leadership skills while also visiting different parks at Disney World.

Excluding meals, all expenses will be paid for by the Office of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement.

Daren Capirchio, director of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement, has been developing the retreat for at least five years.

“I proposed this program to Gerard Wheeler and Brad Williams because this is something that I’ve been really passionate about,” said Capirchio, who carefully launched the pilot pro-gram.

Student Leadership and Civic Engagement advertised the retreat only to the Division of Student Affairs and the College of Undergraduate Studies. Faculty and staff nominated students who have demonstrated leadership qualities or have the potential to be leaders.

Once nominated, students applied for the program and went through the interview process. The top 20 students were chosen for the trip.

“We want somebody that has leadership skills but is also going to learn something,” said Capirchio. “We also know that leadership comes in all kinds of avenues. So we wanted to make sure that it was open to everybody.”

Students will go to Epcot’s Disney Imagination Campus to learn leadership and teamwork skills. They will attend two workshops in the mornings, “Leadership the Disney Way” and “Teamwork the Disney Way.” After the workshops, students will receive a 3-Day Park Hopper Pass and can choose to go to Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios or Animal Kingdom.

Students are expected to apply and share everything they learned when they return to campus.

“If students are chosen for the trip, they should go into it wanting to learn, to be a sponge,” said Capirchio. “Students should listen, watch, take part and be fully engaged.”

For students who weren’t chosen or nominated, Capirchio said this year is a test run. He is excited to see the program become something students look forward to in the coming years.

While the program currently has 20 spots, Capirchio plans to increase the number in the future as the program is expanded to more departments.

“We wanted it to be something that people would want to work toward,” said Capirchio. “Maybe you won’t go your first year or your second year, but hopefully sometime in your four years here, you could be chosen to go.”