47th Henry Strobel Retreat set for Aug. 2
McGovern Medical School will officially welcome the Class of 2027 to campus with the 47th Henry Strobel Retreat, Aug. 2 at Camp Cho-Yeh, in Livingston, Texas.
The Henry Strobel Retreat is a chance for incoming McGovern Medical School students to meet their classmates in a stress-free, laid-back environment. The 47th Annual Henry Strobel Retreat theme is “Welcome Fellow Olympians.”
The Olympic stage has been set for the Class of 2027 as we race to the 47th Olympiad of the modern medical era. Being the famous Olympians they are, the incoming medical students will ride in style as a parade of shuttles transports the class to the Olympic arena hosted at Camp Cho-Yeh.
Students are encouraged to arrive in the most spirited clothing representing the team color which has been selected from the finest colors of McGovern Medical School, including hats, bandanas, sunglasses, headbands, face paint, and more to represent their team.
Students will depart the UTHealth Recreation Center (1800 West Rd.) at 7:30 a.m. and arrive at Boxwoods, a Camp Cho-Yeh Camp, at 8 a.m. After a brief orientation, students will spend the morning participating in various activities such as archery tag, axe throwing, paintball, flying squirrel, and the YARD.
Lunch will be served at the camp’s Ice House, where gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian options will be available, before enjoying an afternoon of more activities including banana boating, tubing, hanging out by the lake, kayaking, paddle boats, cabanas, beach volleyball, and spike ball. Students are encouraged to bring extra clothes if they would like to change following the water activities. The Class of 2027 will depart from Boxwoods to return home at 3:45 p.m.
A tradition since 1976, Dr. Henry Strobel, former dean for faculty, student affairs, and alumni affairs, created the retreat after noticing a sense of disenchantment among the first-year class of medical students, following a flood in the Texas Medical Center that caused devastation and forced students into a nearby office building while repairs and renovations were underway.
Working with leadership from the second-year class, Strobel received the green light from the school to host a weekend for students to leave the hustle and bustle of Houston and the TMC in order to appreciate the McGovern family and community around them.