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Friday, May 19, 2023 (Various locations)

11:30 am-1:00 pm

two women talking at First Lady’s brunchFirst Lady’s brunch at Oakview (Registration required; additional charge: $25.) This event is now waiting list only.

Join JMU First Lady and host Mary Ann Alger at Oakview, the official residence of the university’s first family. Enjoy mimosas, bloody Marys, brunch and getting to know amazing Madison women from all over. Casual dress.
Take the shuttle from JMU Festival, parking lot D3 at 11:00 am and return via shuttle to Festival after the event. (No parking at Oakview.) 

12:00-3:30 pm

An afternoon of concurrent activities (Your choice; some activities require pre-registration and fees)

Picnic on the Quad with friends
Bring your own lunch, blanket and chill vibe to the Quad and enjoy fellowship with your friends, reminiscing about your Madison Experience and getting excited for what’s to come. (Rain location: Hall of Presidents, 11:00-1:00)

Fun photo station on the Quad (No fee)
Capture these moments with your girlfriends forever! Grab a Women for Madison frame or other fun props, take pics all afternoon and post to your favorite social platform.

Summit check-in | Hall of Presidents 1:00-3:30 pm
Stop by the Hall of Presidents (top floor of D-Hall) to register and pick up your Summit SWAG! Registration packets and SWAG will also be available at Hotel Madison and Fairfield Inn & Suites on Friday and at Festival Conference Center on Saturday morning.

Madison Mingle | Hall of Presidents 1:30-2:30 pm
Welcome to our version of speed dating to meet other women who amaze! This session promises an instant increase in your social capital by engaging with one another and building valuable connections. Remember to pack your business cards!

JMU Hidden History Tours | depart from Wilson Hall 12:30, 1:30 and 2:30 pm 
Learn what you never knew before about JMU’s past. Based on the Campus History Committee’s ongoing research, the tour offers insight into the original campus and JMU’s expansive past. Some information in the tour will be familiar, but much of it uncovers individuals whose histories and contributions to JMU have been previously overlooked or ignored. Led by Dr. Meg Mulrooney, Karen Risch Mott (’20M) and Monyette Martin (’93). Please wear comfortable shoes. Meet in front of Wilson Hall; tour is wheelchair accessible.

Sound bathing | Arboretum 1:30-3:00 pm
Ernst Tree Terrace adjacent to Frances Plecker Education Center
 (Registration required. Additional charge: $20.) This event is now waiting list only.

Bring your yoga mat or lawn chair, and join sound healer and yoga and meditation teacher Connie Magee for an etheric journey in the woods. Trees provide healing medicine for the soul, and the otherworldly tones of two large gongs and chimes provide a magical soundscape that dances within the sounds of nature.

5:45-8:30 pm

One Ama-ZING! Evening | Brix & Columns Vineyardsschedule-en-blanc-1173.jpg
Kick off the summit with an evening of fun, friends and laughter at picturesque Brix & Columns Vineyards. Enjoy expansive mountain views as you sip award-winning wine or a signature Summit cocktail. We will be joined by some of our Amethyst Circle scholarship recipients. Attire: your take on Dressy Casual with your own special ZING! (A special necklace? A fascinator? Sparkly shoes? Use your imagination!) Take the 5:00 pm shuttles from Hotel Madison, Fairfield Inn & Suites and Chandler Hall or meet at the vineyard. Shuttles leave the vineyard at 8:30 pm to return to hotels and Chandler Hall.

9:00 pm

After Hours | Hotel Madison
The celebration continues in the Dolley Madison Room at Hotel Madison’s exclusive Montpelier Restaurant and Bar. Enjoy light, late-night snacks and a cash bar. Here’s your opportunity to deepen friendships and make plans with new friends to plot your course through Saturday’s jam-packed schedule together. Sponsored by Hotel Madison.

After Hours | Chandler Residence Hall on East campus
If you’re staying overnight on campus, change into your favorite PJs and slippers and meet in the lounge to relax, get comfy with friends, eat popcorn and watch chick flicks, or just talk the night through. We want you to make yourself right at home!

Saturday, May 20, 2023 (All activities at JMU Festival)

8:00-9:30 am

Continental breakfast and registration | Festival Conference Center
Grab a bite to eat and get oriented while you find friends — old and new — to spend your day with. If you’re just arriving for the summit, you can also register and pick up your SWAG. (Continental breakfast is for guests who have not pre-registered for the 8:30 Breakfast with President Alger)

8:30-9:30 am

Breakfast with President Jonathan Alger | Festival Ballroom A
Join JMU President Jonathan Alger over breakfast for a state-of-the-university update, including recent achievements — like our new R2 status, move to the Sun Belt conference, our Unleashed campaign success, record-setting incoming class of 2027, and more — PLUS a heads-up on what’s next for JMU. (Registration required. No fee.)

9:30 am

Summit Welcome and Overview | Festival Ballroom A
What It Means to Be A Woman for Madison
 – Women for Madison Executive Director Cannie Campbell (’95, ’20M) and Executive Advisory Council Chair Jamie Jones Miller (’99)

9:40-10:10 am

Morning Keynote | Festival Ballroom A
The Antidote to Trauma Is Sitting Next to You: How the women of JMU taught me the transformative power of community
 Sarah Smith Montana (’09), Hallmark Media and TedX storyteller

10:30-11:30 am

Breakout Sessions
It’s All about You! |
Your choice (Advance registration required)

Panel Discussion: Life Balance, Coping Skills and Mental Health and Wellness
Highlands room (Festival downstairs)
Dr. Angela Russell (’85), Amethyst Circle Member, Licensed Psychotherapist, Life Coach and Retreat Leader
Elaine Stephanos (’87), Co-Founder, MoJo Life Coaches
Rev. Dr. Juna Mackey-Padilla (’89), Founder and CEO, MOVE Empowerment Services

Writing to Heal Trauma and Build Community
Conference room 3
Sarah Montana (’09), Hallmark Media and TedX storyteller

Aging and Elder Care with Confidence
Conference room 2
Beth Bland, Director of Senior Services for Harrisonburg-Rockingham County, Valley Program for Aging Services (VPAS)
Joyce Nussbaum (’10), Valley Program for Aging Services (VPAS) Programs Director

Take the Work Out of Networking
Allegheny room
Jamie Jones Miller (’99), Amethyst Circle Member, inaugural dean and CEO of Northeastern University’s Arlington, Virginia, campus

Intercultural Competence and Why You Need It to Succeed
Festival Ballroom B
Dr. Veleka Gatling (’93), Assistant Vice President for Diversity and Inclusive Excellence, Old Dominion University

Managing Your Weight: Your Body’s Stored Energy
Conference room 4 (Festival downstairs)
Vanessa Heatwole (’12) RDN, CDCES, Owner, Vanessa Heatwole Nutrition LLC

11:45 am- 1:15 pm

Signature Luncheon | Festival Ballroom
11:45 am Lunch service begins

12:15 pm Spirit of Philanthropy Award

12:30 pm Lunch Keynote
Why I Am A Philanthropist at JMU

Vonya Alleyne (’93) - Amethyst Circle Founder and Segra Chief People Officer
No one explains the special calling of Women for Madison better than the women who are living it and paying it forward.

12:45 pm Panel with Amethyst Circle scholarship recipients Trystin Umphrey (’25) and Karlee Tomlinson (’25)

1:30-2:30 pm

Afternoon Panel: Life Lessons with Leaders
Highlands room (Festival downstairs)
Get inspired by this powerhouse trio of amazing women! Hear about their rise to leadership success, their roles today and how they make it happen.

Dr. Veleka Gatling (’93) - Assistant Vice President, Old Dominion University
Dr. Megan Ross (’96) - President and CEO, Lincoln Park Zoo
Sandra Tran Welsford (’12) - Founder and CEO, Nicecream

2:45-3:30 pm

Afternoon Keynote | Festival Ballroom A
High Stakes Beliefs 
Lindsay Czarniak (’00), FOX Sports sports analyst, content creator and podcast host

3:30 pm

Closing Toast and Thank Yous | Festival Ballroom A

4:00 pm

Bubbles & Bourbon
Amethyst Circle Exclusive Reception | Leeolou Alumni Center Great Room
An invitation-only reception for Amethyst Circle members whose $5K+ investments are providing scholarships for 25 JMU students RIGHT NOW! Spend special time with Lindsay Czarniak (’00). Interested in learning more about the Amethyst Circle? Check out membership options on our page or email Meghan Schenker-Fulcher at schenkmj@jmu.edu.

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