What's Happening

July 13, 2026, Adrian, Michigan – Julie Barst became the Director of Weber Retreat and Conference Center on June 29, 2026, succeeding Sister Janet Doyle, OP, who served in that role since 2016. 

Julie served as Provost and Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs during the last academic year of Siena Heights University. She sees her new role at Weber Center as an extension of her involvement with the Adrian Dominican Sisters for the past 14 years at Siena Heights University. During those years, Julie worked with many Sisters, both at the University and at the Motherhouse. 

“My first semester here at Siena, I joined the anti-human trafficking task force that Sisters Thérèse Haggerty and Jean Tobin started,” she said. “I have developed over 14 years such a deep respect for the Sisters and the Dominican Charism, and the opportunity to keep contributing to that mission was very exciting to me. It felt like a natural extension of a lot of the work that I’ve been doing at Siena.” 

A native of St. Charles, Michigan, in Saginaw County, Julie grew up one block from M-52, which leads circuitously to Adrian. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an accounting major at Central Michigan University. She also holds a master’s degree and a doctorate in literary studies, both from Purdue University. 

Julie began her career in accounting but realized that field was not fulfilling, so she reconnected with an earlier desire to be a teacher. “One of my passions has always been reading and talking to other people about fantastic books,” she said. “I love what you can learn about what it means to be human from reading other people’s stories, and you can step into someone else’s shoes.” 

After earning a PhD in 2009, she began her career in higher education at South Dakota State University as Assistant Professor of English. In her third year, she read about an opening at Siena Heights University, researched the school, and saw it as a good fit. She began her career at Siena Heights in 2012 as Assistant Professor of English, then moved up to Associate Professor, Professor, and Chair of the English Department. Later, she was named Chair of the Humanities Division and Assistant Dean of Academics before stepping into the Provost position in August. 

This past year – the last academic year of Siena Heights University – has been “very challenging but also very rewarding,” Julie said. As Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs, she worked with students to figure out their next steps. “One of the key priorities for my office was collaborating with other institutions on teach-out agreements for students unable to graduate this year,” she said. A teach-out is a legal document between Siena Heights University and another college or university, guaranteeing that the other institution will accept Siena Heights students’ credits, keep the same timeline for graduation, and waive application fees and residency requirements, she explained.  

“Because the Sisters gave us the gift of honorable closure that included a full academic year of operations, we were able to graduate our seniors and secure 20 teach-out agreements and 53 transfer pathways for our remaining students,” Julie said. 

Julie is looking forward to her new role at Weber Center. She brings much of what she learned at Siena Heights to this new role. As founder of Siena Heights’ Ethnic and Gender Studies Institute, she organized speakers, film screenings, and special events. Julie hopes to function as a teacher at Weber Center. 

“I’m excited to think of the programming I could bring in, and the audiences it might serve,” she said. She also hopes to add a course on current events in race or gender studies and to fulfill the role of hospitality, welcoming Sisters and the broader community to Weber Center. 

“I feel honored to have been chosen to continue the mission of the Weber Center,” Julie said, “and my hope is to build on the amazing foundation that Sister Janet and the others before her have created.”  

June 17, 2026, Adrian, Michigan – If you find yourself longing for certainty, you are not alone. But what might it look like to remain in the present with courage and grace? The Circle of Trust Retreat invites you to attend to what is as we notice the gifts that arise in the liminal place.

Finding Courage and Grace in Liminal Spaces: A Circle of Trust Retreat is hosted at Weber Retreat and Conference Center from 4:00 p.m. Friday, August 14, 2026, through 1:00 p.m. Sunday, August 16, 2026. This retreat offers foundational touchstones that steady us in trustworthy relationships; solitude and community to notice how we hold moments of transition woven into the seasons of our lives; silence that creates space for quiet wisdom; and spaciousness for creatively honoring what is revealed.

The retreat is offered by the Center for Courage and Renewal, whose mission is to “nurture deep integrity and relational trust, building the foundation for a more loving, equitable, and healthy world.” 

Facilitators are Kirstin Anglea and Sophia Lloyd. Kirstin became a facilitator with the Center for Courage and Renewal in 2014. She leads Circle of Trust retreats in a variety of formats for all who yearn to live an undivided life. Sophia is guided by the belief that tending to our inner lives makes us more available for the outer work the world asks of us. Share the event flyer (PDF).

The cost – including materials, supplies, meals, snacks, and beverages – is $238 for commuters, $388 per person for double occupancy, and $418 for single occupancy. 

Registration is required. Visit www.webercenter.org and click on “programs,” call 517-266-4000, or email [email protected]. Limited scholarship assistance is available. To inquire about financial assistance, please email [email protected].  

Weber Center is on the campus of the Adrian Dominican Sisters Motherhouse, Adrian, Michigan. On East Siena Heights Drive, turn into the driveway between Adrian Rea Literacy Center and the solar panel-covered carport. Follow the signs to Weber Center. For information, call the Weber Center at 517-266-4000.