Happiness – it’s one thing everyone could use more of in their lives.

Former CBS Morning News anchor and bestselling author Michelle Gielan will bring loads of the feel-good emotion to the 29th annual Women’s Leadership Colloquium at the University of Mary Washington next week.

A beacon of empowerment for professional women from diverse backgrounds for nearly three decades, the Colloquium features Gielan’s keynote address on resilient optimism, plus breakout sessions with area experts, networking and more. The event will take place Thursday, Nov. 2, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at UMW’s Stafford Campus.

Renowned for her groundbreaking research on the relationship between happiness and success, Gielan will kick off the day with her presentation, “Resilient Optimism: Strengthening a Mindset that Fuels Well-Being and Success.” The talk will explore how optimists face challenges, the science of cultivating a positive and optimistic mindset, and practical habits grounded in research for enhancing resilience and happiness.

“In these challenging times, I’m looking forward to sharing the science of resilient optimism and how it can transform our well-being and success,” said Gielan, an executive producer of The Happiness Advantage on PBS. “I hope that each attendee will leave with practical tools and a renewed sense of optimism, ready to face life’s challenges with a positive mindset.” Read more.

The University of Mary Washington is a premier, selective public liberal arts and sciences university in Virginia, highly respected for its commitment to academic excellence, strong undergraduate liberal arts and sciences program, and dedication to life-long learning. The university, with a total enrollment of about 4,000, features colleges of business, education and arts and sciences, and three campuses, including a residential campus in Fredericksburg, Virginia, a second one in nearby Stafford and a third in Dahlgren, Virginia, which serves as a center of development of educational and research partnerships between the Navy, higher education institutions and the region’s employers