Students Recharge, Refresh on USF Retreats

“We’ve seen a 400 percent increase in participation in the past three years,” said Alvia ’04 MA ’12 EdD ’25, assistant director for retreats and Ignatian student formation.

And there’s a waiting list.

“The forest-bathing retreat is a very popular one,” he said, explaining that it means immersing yourself in nature, with the side benefit of meditation. “We host retreats into forest bathing in Golden Gate Park and the Presidio. It’s all about finding nature and the space for community outside of the walls.”

At the same time, Alvia’s team from University Ministry hosts a weekend retreat each fall called Kairos. There, students explore Ignatian spirituality. This year, USF will host its 37th Kairos retreat.

That’s how Amanda Hernandez ’26 experienced her first retreat. She attended Kairos in November.

“This was a really important semester for me,” said Hernandez, who graduated from Bakersfield College and transferred to USF. “I was struggling a lot with being uncertain. What I learned is I don’t have to have a set determined answer on God or faith. It’s OK to have all these questions and grapple with these things.”

Hernandez, a media studies major and film studies minor, created a documentary about her retreat experience. She made the short film called "Faltered Faith" for her Multimedia Storytelling class with Mark Taylor.

USF also offers silent retreats, and a Spectrum retreat each fall for members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

One of the most popular retreats started during the pandemic, when the campus was closed and classes and work moved online. Monday Meditations for faculty, staff, and students has brought together the community, including USF’s campuses in Sacramento and Orange County, in regular Zoom group meditation, said Angélica N. Quiñónez, director of University Ministry.

“We decided to keep [it] online post-pandemic due to demand from folks working remotely and at our other campuses,” Quiñónez said.

It’s important to point out that students don’t have to be Catholic to attend Kairos or any other USF retreat, Alvia said. And all retreats are free for students.

“We had a Muslim student from Afghanistan attend Kairos, and she was worried about the food, the practices,” he said. “And I said, ‘Let’s talk and explore this together.’ She ended up having a great time.”

Hernandez said her experience is that all students are welcomed at the retreats. “I would say that USF provides a space for a lot of types of groups, religious being part of it. If you want to, you can go to church and go on a retreat, but it’s never pushed.”

It’s part of USF’s mission as a Jesuit university to connect Ignatian spirituality with the mind and the heart, Alvia said.

“Retreats are open to all who are looking to find community, learn Jesuit values, and grow and discover spirituality,” Quiñónez said.

For students who are interested in attending a retreat, Alvia invites them to stop by Toler Hall 122, the University Ministry office. “We have so many opportunities and events,” he said. “Come visit us.”