AWESOME SUMMIT 2024
October 25-27, 2024 in Westminster, MD, USA
Join in awesome conversations, celebrate small-town life with a big-world vision, and much more. Get your ticket today!
The 2024 Awesome Summit will be hosted by the Hey Westminster! Awesome Foundation chapter, on the weekend of October 25th.
Just three years old, their chapter has given away over $60k in grants, with robust media storytelling that has reached tens of thousands and had a transformative impact in their community. Come explore their small Maryland town (outside of Baltimore and DC), join in conversations about community-driven impact, and celebrate all you do creating a more awesome future.
2024 AGENDA
Note: calendar below is tentative and subject to change. Questions? Want to help sponsor the summit? Email heywestminster@gmail.com.
DAY 1: FRIDAY oCT 25
Hey Westminster helps pick people up from the airport/train station (please coordinate with them). Suggested lodging is at a mix of local hotels + trustee homestays.
Kickoff event at trustee-owned distillery.
2 pm: Penn Station train pick up
4 pm: BWI airport pick up
5 pm: Van run from Best Western hotel + doors open at Covalent Spirits distillery
5:30 pm: Summit kick off! Welcoming remarks from the Institute on Higher Awesome Studies (IHAS) Board and Westminster chapter
5:45 pm: Dinner and drinks
6:30 pm: Organized speed-networking rounds + unconference brainstorming
7:30 pm: Open networking + karaoke!
8:30: Van to hotel (uber/on your own for those who want to keep hanging out)
Day 2: Saturday Oct 26
Farmers' market + local event visit in the morning, then lunch/retreat/workshop. That evening, bonfire and hangout!
9 am: Van to farmers' market
9:30-10:45 am: Choose from two workshop options
The Power of Storytelling, "We’ll have some group time to discuss different methods of storytelling and how they can incorporate that into their own chapters." Hosted by Westminster trustee GLBL Media
Websites and more! Hosted by Westminster trustee Gauge Digital Media and Jesse Chan Norris
10:45-12: Westminster trustee tour of downtown Main Street and highlights of funded projects
12-1 pm: Lunch on your own and then afternoon at Exploration Commons
1 pm: State of the Awesome Foundation: remarks from the Institute on Higher Awesome Studies (IHAS) Board from Amanda Schell and Avi Caplan
1:30-2:15 pm: Partnerships with outside foundations and organizations: panel from Hey Westminster and the Kahlert Foundation
2:15-3:15: Second round of workshops (choose from 3 options)
AI and the Awesome Foundation, hosted by Cedric Hurst. "The rise of modern AI brings new challenges and possibilities to our grant review process. In this session, we'll chat about the problem of AI-generated applications sneaking into our dashboard. But we may also dream up ways AI could help us do things"
Recruiting trustees and forging new community partnerships, hosted by Amanda Schell and Graham Smith-White
Un-conference breakout session: choose your own adventure
Break!
3:30 -4:30: Ideation session, hosted by Hey Westminster!
4:30-5:30: Hotel changeover/break
5:45: Potluck dinner at Captain Family Farms + general remarks
6-7 pm: Music and family-friendly fun
8:30 pm: Van back to hotel
Day 3: Sunday Oct 27
Debrief brunch, workshop, and transport back to airport/train station
9 am - 10:30: light breakfast and good conversation at the Roj Student Center @ McDaniel College
10:30-12: two 45 minute rotations! Choose from the following options
Whimsy in a time of trouble—Is funding whimsy a way to help solve the big problems of society? hosted by Joel Pomerantz
Awesome Foundation growth, hosted by IHAS
Newsletter conversation, hosted by Alex Koppel
Unconference (pt 2)
12-1: Final remarks and to-go snacks
1:30: Complimentary shuttle run
where to stay
To help you make your travel plans, we wanted to share the following lodging options:
Hotel
We’ve secured a block of rooms at the local Best Western; you can contact them at (410) 857-1900 (or frontdesk@bestwesternwestminster.com) and mention Hey Westminster/Awesome Summit for a special rate of $132/night. This rate will be good until September 10, 2024.
Vacation rental
Drop us a line if you would like help connecting with others and/or have secured a space that has extra room for a new friend!
Camping
There are a few local camping options on Hipcamp. Alternatively, Codorus State Park is about 30 minutes away.
Homestay
Our trustees are excited to host and get to know our friends from around the world! While supply is limited, we’ll send a separate email to those of you who requested a homestay to coordinate details.
FAQ
How much does it cost?
The AweSummit has a nominal ticket cost to offset food costs. Other than that, we recommend you budget for travel, hotel/Air BNB if you prefer to stay in paid accommodation, and some food/drinks during the weekend.
Where can I stay?
Click the dropdown link above!
Do I have to attend all the events?
No - come to some or all of the weekend. If you're attending the main Summit day on Saturday, we encourage you to attend the entire day's events.
Can I bring a +1 to the Saturday dinner?
Bringing a guest should be fine - please reach out to coordinate.
Driving? Click here for a parking map for downtown Westminster. Suggested parking is at the Longwell Parking Garage.
It'll be an-almost-Halloween weekend that celebrates small-town life. Join trustees from around the world as the leaves change up and down one of the longest, walkable Main Streets on the east coast. Plans are in place to enjoy conversations at a local distillery, join breakout groups to brainstorm at a local historic college, visit the local farmers' market in its autumn splendor, sit around a campfire, and much more:
Engage in dynamic workshops about marketing, AI and the Awesome Foundation, philanthropic partnerships with foundations, and more
Network with fellow trustees and forge new partnerships that can amplify our collective impact
Celebrate our successes and share your chapter’s achievements with a global audience
Snag your ticket by September 1, 2024. Earlier confirmation is appreciated, as hotel and homestay availability is limited; the chapter wants to ensure housing for all that plan to join .
+ Make the event more awesome: volunteer! We are looking for a half-dozen activities (ranging from small group discussion to presentations) that range from 30 minutes to an hour to compliment the growing schedule. Everyone can do it!
If you need additional information, feel free to reach out to our summit coordinators. Transportation and lodging info in the expanded sections, below.
We look forward to seeing you this fall and working together to continue the Awesome Foundation’s great work.