University of Michigan students, faculty and staff will have a new place to gather starting in spring 2027: an 11-acre wooded retreat in Ann Arbor Township donated by Regent Mark Bernstein and his spouse, Rachel Bendit.
The Board of Regents accepted the gift, called the Bernstein Leadership Retreat at Joy Farm, at its Oct. 15 meeting. The property includes a cabin, trails, a boardwalk and a fire pit.
"The intention is to help students step out of their normal routines in order to pause a bit and have deeper, more engaged, thoughtful conversations with each other," Bernstein said in an interview with the Detroit Free Press. "At the risk of sounding super corny, we really believe campfires are really good for the spirit and the soul. Great conversations and lessons
are learned in that type of setting."
Located about a 15-minute drive from U-M’s central campus at the southwest corner of Gleaner Hall Road and Joy Road, the retreat will serve student organizations and university departments from the Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campuses for retreats, planning sessions and team building.
U-M Student Life will manage the property and work with Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum on ecological management and study, according to the release.
"We are excited about the promise and potential of the Bernstein Leadership Retreat and how it will provide students from all of our campuses with opportunities to connect, collaborate and learn from each other," U-M Vice President for Student Life Martino Harmon said in the release.
In addition to donating the property, Bernstein and Bendit have pledged money to support its operating costs. Bernstein declined to disclose the amount of the gift.
Bernstein said the donation reflects his interest in supporting students and leaving a legacy beyond his time as a regent. Bernstein was first elected to the Board of Regents in 2012, and his current term ends on Jan. 1, 2029. He is not seeking reelection.
"I've always been focused on students and the magic that they create when they get together to consider the big and consequential issues of our times," he said.
Contact Adrienne Roberts: amroberts@freepress.com
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: U-M regent donates retreat with cabin and trails for students, staff
