Women's Retreat and Conference

2023 Women's Leadership Retreat

Postponed to November 2023

Located at SIU Touch of Nature Outdoor Education Center

Hosted at the beautiful SIU Touch of Nature Outdoor Education Center, the Women’s Leadership Retreat is a two-day, overnight leadership development experience for SIU students at all levels (undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, professional). The Women’s Leadership Retreat combines individual and group challenges with speakers and workshops to provide a transformative experience for participants. The retreat is designed to allow individual participants to set their own goals and develop skills and pathways to achieve them.

Registration is $10, and includes overnight accommodations, meals, and all workshop and activity fees. Scholarships are available to participants for whom the cost presents a barrier.

Activities will take place outside, as weather permits. Participants should wear weather-appropriate clothing and shoes. Overnight accommodations are in dormitory-style cabins, with double occupancy rooms and communal bathrooms (individual commode and shower stalls). The committee will do our best to honor roommate and other requests related to sleeping rooms, dietary needs, and activities.

The planning committee recognizes the need for flexibility when it comes to certain activities. Please know that there will be exceptions if a participant is not comfortable with a particular activity.

The Women’s Leadership Retreat welcomes all genders who are interested in identifying and counteracting misogyny, especially as it intersects with racism, classism, ableism, cissexism, and heterosexism.

For disability accommodations, call 618-453-5738.

Questions? Email us at womensleadershipconference@siu.edu.

Presenters
Schedule
Accomodations
Packing List

We are looking forward to this year's retreat and each of our session presenters. This year's theme is Lifting as We Climb: Finding the Balance. More details coming soon!

Women's Leadership Retreat 2023 Event Schedule*

Lifting as We Climb: Finding the Balance

Friday Schedule:

4:00PM – Caravan departs Student Center for Touch of Nature

4:30PM – Registration Begins

5:00PM – Welcome & Introductions 5-5:45PM in Freeberg Hall

5:30PM – Dinner begins at 5:45PM in Burke Lounge (Connected to Freeberg Hall)

6:00PM to 7:00PM – Dinner & Keynote

7:00PM – BREAK

7:30PM - Campfire

9:00PM – Board Games, Karaoke, Etc.

Saturday Schedule:

8:00AM – Breakfast 8-8:30am in Burke Lounge

8:30AM to 10:00AM – Guided Hike & BREAK

10:00AM to 11:30AM – Session #1

11:30AM to 12:30PM – Lunch with Women Leaders

12:30PM – BREAK, Pack to Depart, Explore Touch of Nature, etc.

1:00PM to 2:30PM – Session #2

2:30PM to 3:30PM – Touch of Nature Outdoor Activities

4:00PM – Caravan Departs for Student Center

*All schedule details are tentative and subject to change based on weather and availability.

Participants will stay overnight at Touch of Nature Outdoor Education Center.

Located south of campus near Giant City Park, Touch of Nature is an SIU facility nestled in the Shawnee Forest. The rustic setting reflects the beauty of the region, dancing on the edge of Little Grassy Lake providing a tranquil environment to relax and reflect.

Sleeping cabins are a short walk from the main activity building. If you are returning to the sleeping cabin after dark, you may wish to have a flashlight.
The sleeping cabins include dorm-style rooms (2 people per room), common space, and communal bathrooms. The bathrooms have individual stalls for commodes and showers. You may wish to bring flip flops or slides to wear in the shower.
You will share a room with another participant. If you would like to share a room with a particular person, we will honor those requests when possible. If you would be more comfortable in a single room, for a medical or personal reason, please contact womensleadershipconference@siu.edu, and we will explore options.
Each bed will be made with sheets, blanket, and pillow. You are welcome to bring other blankets, pillows, fan, etc. to feel comfortable - especially if you tend to be hot/cold.
If you tend to be a light sleeper, you may wish to bring earplugs or headphones.

2023 SIU Conference on Women: Telling Our Stories

Friday, March 3, 2023

This year's conference will be in a virtual format, allowing participants to attend from anywhere in the world.

Registration Coming in Early 2023!

In the spirit of the 2023 National Women’s History Month, this year’s theme of “Telling Our Stories” aims to showcase stories of our past, present, and future. How have our histories shaped our stories? Whose stories are remembered and re-told? Whose stories have been forgotten? What stories are unique to our campus and the Southern Illinois community? How might sharing our stories help us build coalitions? What cautions might we take when we tell our stories? When do we feel compelled to be silent about our stories? How can we become more compassionate audiences to others’ stories? How does telling our stories shape our future? We encourage proposals to think critically, creatively, and broadly.

This cross-disciplinary conference will take place virtually on Friday, March 3 from 9AM-5PM. Sessions are 45 minutes each and may include round tables, research presentations, and personal and professional development workshops, etc.

Join In!

The SIU Conference on Women is for people of all genders who are interested in identifying and counteracting misogyny, especially as it intersects with racism, classism, ableism, cissexism, and heterosexism. We encourage proposals to think critically, creatively, and broadly.

Call for Proposals:

The 2023 SIU Conference on Women: Telling Our Stories is now accepting proposals. The full call for proposals and additional details may be found at the proposal submission form link found below.

We welcome a variety of proposed formats. This includes, but is not limited to,

Interactive workshops
Discussion panels
Research/paper panels
Performance sessions
Community conversation
Media session
Other ideas? Some other creative format not listed here.

Proposal submission form: https://forms.office.com/r/tFH7UziWCa

Proposals are due Friday, January 27. Submitters will be notified on or before Friday, February 3. Accepted presenters will be asked to complete a conference registration form and will be able to participate in all other portions of the conference. Conference registration fees will be waived for all presenters.

Registration

Details coming soon.

Cancelation Policy

Refunds will be issued on a case-by-case basis.

Registration

Details coming soon.

Cancelation Policy

Refunds will be issued on a case-by-case basis. No refunds will be issued for inability to access via Zoom, as participants were to follow and test access prior to the start of the event.