The origins of this mentor mentee legacy project stretch back to the opening luncheon of the inaugural MOMENTUM class in September 2003.

Three corporate leaders and MOMENTUM advisory board members-Marsha Johnson, Karole Lloyd, and Susan Story-were our guests speakers. They inspired the newly gathered participants and shared stories of their personal experiences in top level leadership programs. Marsha Johnson 's stirring talk included a challenge to each class member to "to pull threads of learning from MOMENTUM sessions, and work those threads into your own leadership tapestry".

"Building your tapestry" became a fitting theme for the year. Faculty, mentors, and co-mentors helped participants to look at strands, nourish their goals, and consider desired outcomes.

As the year drew to a close, I felt it would be appropriate to create a legacy project involving our inaugural mentors and class participants. The concept and tradition of quilting, fitting with the theme of "building your tapestry", was explored as a creative method to reflect the total MOMENTUM experience. Traditionally, quilts and tapestries are created in groups, almost exclusively by women. Quilts reflect experiences, cultures, and changes in lifestyles, reveal historical context, and are windows of our experience.

Tina Upshaw of the YWCA's Women's Resource Center and Joy Godsey, Communications Director, YWCA, provided excellent ideas and experienced artistic input. Quilters Peggy Rhodes and Jeanene Salze assembled the quilt.

Prior to the April session each mentor and mentee were provided guidelines and templates to consider what they wanted to include on their quilt square. They considered traditional symbolic pictures and reflected on leadership themes. When the group assembled for the quilt square design session, they participated in an exercise to create an understanding of the intergenerational stories, which have been passed down in quilts. What a perfect fit for the theme of building a collective tapestry, reflective of a year's rich experience of leadership building and sharing.

The following pages represent participants' thoughts, imagery, and the collective experience that the MOMENTUM quilt represents. Thank you to each mentor and mentee who participated in the inaugural year. Your collective ideas are reflected in this beautiful art quilt, a gift which will be enjoyed and treasured for all who have the pleasure to view it.