Inspired by Carrie Morgridge’s book, Every Gift Matters: How Your Passion Can Change the World, Plymouth State alumnae Patti Biederman ‘76, active community member and owner of Biederman’s Deli, and Lauren Lavigne ‘94, ‘96G, assistant athletic director at Plymouth State University, set out to develop an engaging platform so women can connect with each other in various ways. The first-annual Women’s Leadership Summit was held in August of 2016 and its participation continues to grow each year. From the summit springs a new initiative called the Women’s Circle of Giving, which aims to help women forge and nurture healthy relationships, focus on wellbeing, and give back to the PSU community.  

Denise Normandin, MA, RD, LD, ’17G, project director for the award-winning wellness campaign Healthy PSU, and the keynote speaker at the 2017 Women’s Leadership Summit, says of the overall mission for both initiatives,   

“Wellness is a journey which has to be fostered by connecting with yourself, others and building healthy partnerships. Working together to create supportive environments where we live, learn, work, and play inspires people to give back to Plymouth State and the Plymouth community we all love.”