Meadow Brook Hall in Rochester will host a new professional development event for young women in October, with $25 tickets on sale.

The inaugural Matilda Sessions: Crafting a Fulfilling Life runs Monday, Oct. 19, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the National Historic Landmark on the Oakland University campus. The half-day program targets women ages 18–30, with a particular focus on Gen-Z attendees. It includes panel discussions, breakout sessions, a luncheon, a presentation by Meadow Brook Hall Curator Madelyn Chrapla and a tour of the 1929 Tudor-revival estate.

The event is named for Matilda Dodge Wilson, the daughter of a saloon-keeper who built a legacy as a businesswoman, philanthropist and art collector. Wilson and her husband Alfred donated $2 million and their land to establish Oakland University in 1957. She was Michigan's first female lieutenant governor, appointed in 1940.

The Matilda Circle, a group focused on connecting women across generations and professions, is presenting the event. According to the announcement, the sessions aim to pair young attendees with experienced women leaders for conversations about career paths and life decisions.

Chrapla, who will present at the Oct. 19 event, described Wilson's legacy in a March 2026 Hour Detroit profile. "She is a real inspiration for never stopping because of other people's expectations of you and what you can accomplish," Chrapla said.

Wilson's hands-on approach extended to the construction of Meadow Brook Hall itself. Chrapla told Hour Detroit in the same March 2026 profile that Wilson once crawled over scaffolding during construction and ordered staircases in the staff quarters rebuilt because they were not wide enough for workers to use comfortably.

Meadow Brook Hall, built between 1926 and 1929, is the fourth-largest historic home in the nation, according to Oakland University. The hall is fully self-supporting, relying on tours, events and rental revenue for its preservation.

Space is limited. Tickets are available at meadowbrookhall.org/events/the-matilda-sessions or by calling (248) 364-6252.