Women may better recognize and appreciate the “seasons of life” when Bluffton University’s Women’s Council hosts its annual conference on Saturday, April 5.
Dr. Lee Snyder, president emeritus of the university, and Bluffton alumnae will be among the presenters during the conference, titled “Women Enriching Women: Celebrating the Seasons of Life.” Hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Centennial Hall—where the morning sessions will be held—and The Commons in Marbeck Center, the site for lunch and the afternoon session.

March 31 is the deadline for registration, which may be done online, at http://tickets.bluffton.edu, or by contacting Joyce Schumacher at 419-358-3456 or [email protected]. Cost is $45 per person.

Conference registration will begin at 8:45 a.m. and morning sessions will start at 9 a.m. They are:

· “Experiencing Life as a Celebration of Seasons,” the 9 a.m. session with Robin Elston, president of Elston Consulting LLC. Since starting her consulting firm in 2001, Elston has worked with hundreds of organizations to resolve issues and improve results and productivity in the U.S., Europe and South America. She previously spent 15 years in engineering, manufacturing and human resource management.

· “Weathering the Storms of Life: Surviving the Unexpected,” the 10:25 a.m. panel discussion in which Debra Core, a 1994 Bluffton alumna; Amy Sagraves-Johann; and Nancy Yeager, a 1966 Bluffton graduate, will discuss how they have weathered their individual “storms.” The moderator will be Jena Diller, a senior marketing major at Bluffton and the 2011-12 National American Miss Teen.

· “Accessorizing: The Secret of Making Your Wardrobe Fit Every Season,” starting at 11:40 a.m. with Kelly Connor Spallinger. In addition to owning and operating Kelly’s Boutique in Lima, Ohio, she is an accomplished musician, with two national record releases.

After lunch, Snyder will speak at 2 p.m. on “Walking with God: Celebrating the Seasons of Life.” The Harrisburg, Ore., native was Bluffton’s president from 1996-2006. Writing is among her professional interests and she has published in the areas of leadership development, board governance and spiritual memoir.