Symposium Information

 

47th Annual Women's Symposium

March 7, 2012

Featuring Oscar Winning Actor,
Marlee Matlin

Southern Methodist University
Hughes-Trigg Student Center - Ballroom

About the Speaker

Marlee Matlin received worldwide critical acclaim for her motion picture debut in Children of a Lesser God, earning her the Academy Award for Best Actress. At age 21, she became the youngest recipient of the Best Actress Oscar, making her one of only four actresses to receive that honor for a film debut. In addition to the Oscar, Matlin was honored by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association with the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama. That same year she was honored by Harper’s Bazaar as one of “The Ten Most Beautiful Women” and Esquire’s “Women We Love.” Since then, Matlin has starred in numerous feature films, including Walker, The Player, Hear No Evil, It’s My Party, and What the Bleep Do We Know!? On TV, Matlin made her debut in CBS’s Bridge to Silence, a film that marked her first speaking role. Following that she starred in, Reasonable Doubts, The West Wing, The L Word, Dancing with the Stars, and The Celebrity Apprentice. She has also guest starred on The Larry Sanders Show, Spin City, Desperate Housewives, ER, Judging Amy, CSI: New York and had a recurring role on My Name is Earl.

Passionate about children, she has also appeared in a number of educational and children’s programs. Matlin served as host of PBS’s Emmy Award winning series People in Motion and, in 2007, was featured in the PBS documentary, Through Deaf Eyes. She can currently be seen starring in Disney’s highly acclaimed Baby Einstein DVD series, teaching sign language to infants and toddlers. She is also the author of three novels for children entitled Deaf Child Crossing (2002) and the sequels, Nobody’s Perfect (2006) and Leading Ladies (2007) for Simon & Schuster. Matlin most recently penned her autobiography, I’ll Scream Later. Matlin takes readers on the frank and touching journey of her life, from the frightening loss of her hearing at eighteen months old to the highs and lows of Hollywood, her battles with addiction, and the unexpected challenges of being thrust into the spotlight as an emissary for the deaf community. Matlin currently serves as a National Celebrity Spokesperson for the American Red Cross, encouraging Americans to donate blood. She has worked on behalf of closed captioning and was instrumental in getting Congress to pass federal legislation requiring all televisions manufactured in the United States be equipped with closed captioning technology. She also serves on the boards of a number of charitable organizations including Easter Seals, The Children Affected by Aids Foundation, as well as those charities which primarily benefit children. In 1995, Matlin served as Chairperson for National Volunteer Week and was honored in a White House Rose Garden ceremony by President Clinton. In 2006 Matlin was honored by AOL as “Chief Everything Officer,” highlighting the important contributions of mothers, both home and work environments.

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Schedule

11:00 am         Registration Check-in Opens
                        Community Resource Fair
                        Free Chair Massages for attendees *Must register at arrival with masseuse

12:00 pm         Luncheon and the Opening of the 47th Annual Women’s Symposium
                        Topical Table Discussions

12:45 pm         Emmie V. Baine Lecture: Marlee Matlin

1:30-2:00 pm  Book Signing with Marlee Matlin
                        & Community Resource Fair
                        Free Chair Massages for attendees *Must register at arrival with masseuse

2:00-2:45 pm   Interest Session

3:00-3:45 pm   Interest Sessions

4:00-4:45 pm   Interest Session

5:30-6:15 pm   Reception Honoring our Community Awards Winners

6:15 pm           Community Awards Dinner Program

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Interest Sessions

Interest Session 2:00-2:45pm
Cinderella, June Cleaver, Charlie's Angels: Changing Images of Women in Media
She's been a damsel in distress, a caretaker, and a vixen, but who is she now….. This workshop emphasizes the constantly changing portrayals of women in the media. More specifically, it will examine how the image of women has evolved via films, television series, commercials and various mediums from the 1950's to today.

Interest Session 3:00-3:45pm
Have Passport, Will Travel: International Perspectives on Change
An international perspective is always important in recognizing women as agents of change, as the US is but one country among many where women have redefined their roles. This workshop will include two speakers presenting different perspectives on international women's issues: domestic violence and global business. These topics both offer an international perspective on the changing roles of women - highlighting violence in Chile and international travel within a global accounting firm. This workshop identifies positive and negative changes women have experienced in the 21st century while focusing on two pertinent issues faced today in a global context.

Interest Session 3:00-3:45pm
An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away….Fact versus Fiction about the Changing Female Body
Change encompasses all forms of transformations, and this workshop will focus on physical changes women encounter at different ages in life. The workshop panel will include experts on the physical and emotional changes from adolescence to menopause. There are few forums where women can learn and understand all the adjustments their bodies go through. Hopefully, by the end of this workshop participants are knowledgeable about an array of topics from puberty to Pap smear!

Interest Session 4:00-4:50pm
We can do it! But what have we done, are we still doing it, and will we continue?
The workshop will span the past, present, and future to observe how women have served as agents of change. With specialists in politics, sociology, and history this workshop will recognize how women's roles in society have changed and how they continue to evolve. An understanding of the past is the only way to continue improving in the future, and this workshop attempts to bridge this gap.

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Registration

Registration for the 47th Annual Women’s Symposium (2012) is now closed. If you have any questions or would like to register late, please e-mail Brent Paxton at blemons@smu.edu and include your name and phone number in your e-mail. Thank you.

Mail-In/Fax Registration Forms

Please note that registration is now closed as of February 29th, 2012. Any late registrations must first be approved by Brent Paxton. He can be reached at blemons@smu.edu and 214-768-4792. Registrations for the 2012 Women’s Symposium postmarked after February 29th are not guaranteed a seat unless you have confirmation from the SMU Women’s Center staff. Thank you for understanding.

The following registration forms in PDF are available if unable to register online. Also, all Visiting Colleges and High Schools will only be able to register by the forms below.

Please fax-in or mail-in registration to the number or address below:

FAX: 214.768.3475

MAILING ADDRESS:
SMU Women's Symposium
PO Box 750172
Dallas, TX 75275-0172

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Parking

PARKING:  

  • Attendees may park on Bishop Blvd. free of charge during the symposium. Please park on the left-hand side (inner curb) of the boulevard.
  • Attendees may also use the new Binkley Garage second floor or above (see campus map below) if there is overflow from Bishop Blvd.
  • Attendees may also park at Mockingbird Station and take the Mustang Express to campus free. The Mustang Express runs every 13 minutes from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and every 40 minutes from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday Through Friday.

SHUTTLE SERVICE:

  • Shuttles will be available for pick-up on Bishop Blvd. from 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and from 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. For information about accessibility, please call the Women’s Symposium at (214) 768-4792.
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Hotels

Courtyard Marriott/Dallas
www.marriott.com/DALCC
10325 N. Central Expressway
Dallas, TX 75231
Phone: 214-622-1012
Contact: Lance Will

Hotel Lumen
www.hotellumen.com
6101 Hillcrest Avenue
Dallas, TX 75205
Phone: 214-219-2400
Contact: Randy Elmore or Daniel de la Corte
randy.elmore@hotellumen.com
daniel.delacorte@hotellumen.com

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Maps

University Special Event Parking Map 2010-11 (PDF)

Map of the First Floor (lower level) of the Hughes-Trigg Student Center
Map to the Hughes-Trigg Student Center
Map to the SMU Campus

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