In the quiet corridors of higher education, beneath syllabi and strategic plans, there often lives a deeper story—one of teachers who entered the academy with conviction and joy, only to find themselves, years later, weary, disoriented, and pulled in too many directions.

Across higher education—and here at ACU—many mid-career faculty find themselves overwhelmed by the competing demands of research, teaching, administration, service, and care. The very work that once gave life now feels like a burden. When we lose touch with the “why” beneath our work, cynicism is quick to follow, and burnout is not far behind.

But burnout is not simply a matter of workload—it is a wound of the soul. It comes when we can no longer see the connection between our inner calling and our outer commitments. The antidote is not escape, but return: a return to purpose, to community, and to the practices that sustain us.

This retreat is an invitation to make that return. It offers a rare chance to step away from routine and into a season of renewal.

Held in the historic city of Leipzig—a place shaped by music, resistance, and reform—our days will include shared conversation, meaningful excursions, and generous space for solitude and reflection. In a context rich with culture and quiet, we will listen again for the voice that first called us to teach, to serve, to create.

We gather to remember what makes our work worth doing. Through honest dialogue and shared presence, we will explore what it means to be whole people in academic life—and what it might look like to lead and teach from a place of renewal rather than depletion.

This is a retreat for those who need rest, not just for the body but for the heart.

Come. Step out of the noise. Find your way back to the center.

Our retreat will take place in the beautiful city of Leipzig, Germany at ACU’s historic 19th-century villa. The Villa is within walking distance of the city center and it sits on the serene banks of the river Elster.