What the Curate Summit is Meant to Be
Cultivate community, inspire authenticity, and discover purpose. These are the three things we strive to accomplish in all Curate does on campus - but what does that mean? And what does that look like for an on-campus women’s conference?
I’m here to tell you what the Curate Summit is meant to be - how we’ve envisioned, designed, and planned it - from the very first ideas of the Summit to what it’s become today. But don’t just take my word for it, we’ve also added quotes from previous attendees about what they enjoy most at the Summit. Take a read!
COMMUNITY
It’s right there in our tagline, but it’s true. First things first, we created the Curate Summit to encourage female community on campus. The Summit is designed as a unique, one-of-a-kind experience that bonds those in attendance over a common purpose. We both celebrate our existing community when we share the day with girlfriends and classmates, and foster new relationships through connecting women from across campus.
“I love that every aspect of the event fostered connection between Hillsdale women and reinforced our community. I got to speak to some girls who I don't regularly talk to because the event created a sense of camaraderie between us and striking up a conversation wasn't awkward.”
MENTORSHIP
While we would love to bring in the Joanna Gaines’ of the world as speakers (and we did dream that dream once) - we think it’s more important to showcase accessible and relatable female mentors. Women who know what it’s like to be a Hillsdale student, who understand your experience, and can speak to the challenges and adventures you’ll face now and in the future! Still, we strive to compile a diverse selection of speakers - staff, faculty, faculty wives, alumni, local community members, and maybe even some Hillsdale moms! Each woman has a different life story we can learn from and take forward into our own journey.
“I loved meeting the women who live in Hillsdale and who are living vibrant lives. I wish we could interact with them more!”
“I loved seeing many people on campus (students professors, staff) gathered together and united in our womanhood striving toward a more thorough understanding of what living the best life as a female can be.”
CONVERSATION
There tends to be things we all wonder about womanhood - but how do we learn them? How do you bring them up in a casual convo with friends? That’s where the Summit comes in. We want this event to be a starting point, a way of sparking an initial conversation and creating room for continued discussion. We are cultivating a place to address challenging topics, especially around the many facets of womanhood, and we are aiming to equip you with both the knowledge and the relationships to cultivate a life of purpose, starting now!
P.S. we are always looking for ideas on what topics are most important to you - always feel free to drop us a DM or shoot us an email with ideas!
“The breakout sessions were super great because they were specific enough to be informative, enriching, and sometimes convicting (in a good way).”
“Having so many choices and being able to start conversations with women on campus was probably my biggest takeaway.”
DEVELOPMENT
Attending the Curate Summit gives you an excuse to carve out time to focus on yourself - time to define the woman you want to become, and learn how to start making baby steps in that direction. We know it’s tricky to find time amongst the barrage of classes, involvements, campus jobs, and more. That’s why we urge you to take this once a year opportunity to develop yourself personally, professionally, and for the future. Make time to take a step back, take a deep breath, and take a look at the big picture - you’ll be happy you did, we promise.
“Thank you for making us feel simultaneously challenged and pampered! I had so much fun and learned so much that brought peace and direction.”
BONUS: Make our students feel special!
It’s true - we really do set out every year to make this a special day for everyone in attendance - there’s a reason we call it the best day of the year! Everything from the free goodies, to the decorations, and the activities throughout the day are meant to pamper and make you feel loved. If you want a whole day dedicated to you - to celebrate what it means to be a woman, to bond with a community pursuing the same ends, and to retreat from campus for the day - come to the Curate Summit!
“I loved the atmosphere, the whole design of the Summit was beautiful and the chance to interact and learn from incredible women was a really encouraging experience.”
“It was amazing. I hope it happens every year. It led to so many new connections and conversations and it was truly a retreat which was needed and a blessing!”
Here’s the bottom line: the Curate Summit will be what you make of it. We do everything in our power to create the environment for all these results to occur, but in the end, it’s up to you to take advantage. If you come with an open mind, ready to be engaged and be honest and vulnerable with yourself, January 29th will be a day you won’t forget - and an experience you won’t regret spending a Saturday on.
