Friday, Oct. 23

8 - 10 a.m. Breakfast 

Self-pay through the Peirce Hall servery. Check out local restaurants for additional options. Peirce Dining Hall

9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Registration Center Open

The Registration Center will be open for all attendees to check in, pick up their event materials and receive their name badge. Please note that all attendees are required to check in. Alumni & Parent Welcome Center, 101 Scott Lane 

9 a.m. Morning Hike

Start your day with fresh air and beautiful scenery on a guided hike led by the staff of the Brown Family Environmental Center. Enjoy a peaceful walk through the trails while learning more about Kenyon’s natural landscape and the work of the BFEC. Meet at the Brown Family Environmental Center

9:30 - 10:30 a.m. Alumni Seminar: Using Art to Foster Observation Skills in an Introductory Biology Lab 

Head back to class and join Jennifer McMahon, lead instructor and director of introductory labs in biology, and Jodi Kovach, the Pamela and Christopher Hoehn-Saric Deputy Director of Curatorial Affairs and Education at The Gund, for an interdisciplinary conversation on how students in “Introduction to Experimental Biology” engage in a prolonged observation exercise with artwork from The Gund’s permanent collection to hone observation and develop higher-order skills that are difficult to teach. Limited to 25 participants; sign-up will be shared with conference attendees in the fall. This seminar will also be offered at 3 p.m. Buchwald-Wright Gallery (second floor), Gund Gallery

10 - 11 a.m. Goat Yoga with Pure Passions Farm

Start your day with a little movement, a lot of laughter and adorable four-legged companions! Join Pure Passions Farm for Goat Yoga, where gentle yoga meets playful interactions with friendly goats. Separate registration is required, which will be shared with conference attendees in the fall. Peirce Lawn, south of Ransom Hall

11 a.m. - noon. Documentary Screening with Jennifer Mizenko ’85

Jennifer Mizenko ’85 is a professor emerita at the University of Mississippi where she ran the dance and movement program for 30 years. Her recent creative research has focused on community projects that tell the stories of the enslaved in Lafayette County, Mississippi. She was the producer and choreographer of two site-specific physical theater projects that brought to life the research of the university’s Slavery Research Group, one of which is featured in the award-winning 33-minute documentary “Moving Spirits: Encountering the Ancestors” that will be screened with a discussion to follow, moderated by Renee Peck ’75. Denniston Reading Room, Chalmers Library 303

11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Lunch

Please note the Peirce Hall servery is busiest around noon when students are also having lunch. Check out local restaurants for additional options. Peirce Dining Hall

11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Open Swim

Open to all. James A. Steen Aquatic Center inside the Lowry Center

1:15 p.m. Beyond the Gates: Kenyon’s Newest Additions Tour

Join Macy Shelton ’29 for a guided walking tour of the College’s newest spaces. Get a first-hand look at how campus has evolved while learning about today’s student experience. Meet at the north door of the Church of the Holy Spirit

1:30 - 2:30 p.m. Alumni Seminar: Political Science 449

Join alumnae with domestic and international relations expertise for this seminar version of Professor Pam Camerra-Rowe’s course. PSCI 449, “Democracy in Crisis,” looks at the rise of nationalist right-wing parties, limitations on the free press, the erosion of democratic norms, political party and civil society polarization, apathy on the part of young people, the spread of disinformation and how abuses of democratic institutions pose serious threats to the values that liberal democratic regimes seek to uphold. The course examines the ways democratic backsliding has manifested itself in various countries such as Hungary, Poland, Turkey, the Philippines and the United States; discusses why it has occurred; the consequences for citizens; and the ways in which democratic regimes can be protected from democratic erosion. Archon Auditorium, Oden Hall

Featuring:

• Jenny Mallamo ’08, senior director for communications and public affairs, The Brookings Institution
• Rebecca Shoot ’06, co-convener, Washington Working Group for the International Criminal Court and co-convener, ImPact Coalition on Strengthening International Judicial Institutions
• Professor of Political Science Pam Camerra-Rowe (moderator)
• Harry M. Clor Professor of Political Science Dave Rowe (moderator) 

3 p.m. Alumni Seminar: Using Art to Foster Observation Skills in an Introductory Biology Lab

Head back to class and join Jennifer McMahon, lead instructor and director of introductory labs in biology, and Jodi Kovach, the Pamela and Christopher Hoehn-Saric Deputy Director of Curatorial Affairs and Education at The Gund, for an interdisciplinary conversation on how students in “Introduction to Experimental Biology” engage in a prolonged observation exercise with artwork from The Gund’s permanent collection to hone observation and develop higher-order skills that are difficult to teach. Limited to 25 participants; sign-up will be shared with conference attendees in the fall. Buchwald-Wright Gallery (second floor), Gund Gallery

4 p.m. Meaning of Death: Putting Life in Perspective

Inspired by the popular religious studies class, this conversation will explore universal end-of-life questions, planning, supports and spirituality with experts in the field. From how we talk and think about this universal experience as a society to how to support a loved one, with recognition of the outsized role women play as caregivers. Pair with “Life of Meaning” session on Saturday for an exploration of how the meaning of death is about the meaning of life. Archon Auditorium, Oden Hall 

Featuring:

• Larae Bush Schrader ’97 (moderator), estate planning and elder law
• Dr. Katie Cunin ’97, hospitalist and hospice physician
• Royal Rhodes, professor emeritus of religious studies
• Gina Kornfeind ’85, community outreach and training manager at Good Grief

*Staff from Kokosing Nature Preserve will be tabling in the lobby, providing information about Kenyon's conservation burial ground located on Quarry Chapel Road, the first and only natural burial cemetery in central Ohio. There will also be a guided "Walk and Talk" at Kokosing Nature Preserve Sunday morning at 9 a.m.

5:30 - 7 p.m. Conference Kickoff Celebration

Kenyon’s inaugural Women’s Conference will kick off with a celebratory welcome reception, bringing together alumni, students, faculty and friends for an evening of connection and inspiration. Join us as we open this exciting new chapter with a small plates dinner, beverages (including beer, wine and non-alcoholic drinks) and the opportunity to reconnect with classmates, meet fellow attendees and build new relationships across generations. This relaxed and welcoming gathering will set the tone for a weekend of meaningful conversations, thought-provoking sessions and shared experiences. Immediately followed by music and s’mores on the Gund Commons patio. Gund Commons Ballroom 

7 - 9 p.m. Music & S’mores

Join us for a complimentary food truck from Yura Bowl, music and s’mores. In case of inclement weather, this event will be rescheduled to Saturday at 10:30 p.m. Gund Commons patio

7 - 8:30 p.m. Sisterhood Networking Reception

Join Sisterhood for a special reception bringing together alumni and current students for an evening of connection, conversation and community. This gathering is an opportunity to strengthen the bonds across generations of Sisterhood members, celebrate shared experiences and foster meaningful relationships. Brief remarks will be shared at 7:30 p.m. Alumni Dining Room, Peirce Hall

9 p.m. Miller Observatory Open House

Join Professor of Physics Paula Turner for an open house, weather permitting. Miller Observatory: Turn right from Wiggin St. onto Route 229, drive about 0.2 miles, and turn right onto the blacktop road marked by a Kenyon sign. Follow the road up the hill to the observatory. Parking is limited.