Curate will host its fifth annual women’s summit this Saturday, according to Director of Student Programming Rachel Marinko ’20.

Curate was founded by Dean of Women Rebekah Dell and eCommerce Product Merchandiser Ashlyn Neveau, aiming to encourage and support women on campus, according to its website. Curate includes a blog, newsletter, and podcast.

“Women supporting women,” the website says. “Women encouraging women. Women sharing with women. Women serving women.”

The Curate Summit seeks to encourage young women by providing a day of good conversation in good company, according to Marinko. The summit also seeks to treat women who attend with various resources including books, gifts, and a free lunch. This year’s theme is “Wonder.”

“The Curate Summit is a day dedicated to building female community and mentorship on campus,” Marinko said. “It’s a way for women in the Hillsdale community to share their relevant life experiences with the female students.”

The first summit launched in January 2020. Curate speaker Caroline Greb ’20 attended Curate’s debut. 

“I felt so pampered,” Greb said. “It’s been so fun to see it grow and continue over the years from that exciting inaugural summit.”

Greb will be speaking on the wonder of God’s beauty in our modern world. She’ll also discuss beauty’s relevance and place in social media and leave time for questions from the audience, she said. 

This year, Marinko said the summit will begin with Dell as the keynote speaker. In the 10 a.m. kickoff session, Dell will introduce the theme of “Wonder” before the following three breakout sessions, at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 2 p.m.

New speakers include Academic Services Assistant Stephanie Maxwell, Senior Art Director Shanna Cote, and alumnae Carly Boerema ’23 and Greta Dornbirer ’22. 

“The broad life stages of speakers and topics makes Curate so unique,” Greb said. “While we hopefully experience discipleship like this in our church bodies, it’s so special to have an intentional intergenerational morning with such a diverse group and have such a variety of topics to choose from to think about more deeply.” 

In addition to the speakers, students can look forward to the taco lunch, fun giveaways, and free copies of various C.S. Lewis books, Marinko said. 

Greb said she encourages women to set aside the Saturday for rest and encouragement. 

“It’s so important to take time to ground yourself in truth and be reminded of your true focus,” Greb said. “I went because I knew that while I could glean all sorts of knowledge from my studies, real wisdom came from a life putting truth to practice — and I wanted more.”