Creating a globally engaged community

St. Olaf College | News

November 14, 2018

Creating a globally engaged community

Professor Emerita of Art and Art History Meg Ojala took this photo during the Study Travel program “Hiking Scotland’s Islands: On and Off the Beaten Track,” which she led alongside Professor Emeritus of Religion John Barbour in May 2017.

St. Olaf College may be ranked No. 1 in the number of students who study abroad, but the opportunities for world travel and meaningful global engagement aren’t limited to just students.

In addition to offering more than 120 international or domestic off-campus programs for current students, the college also offers about 12 programs per year to alumni, families, and friends.

Alumni & Family Travel programs are led by current and retired faculty and hosted by campus leaders. Programs are offered around the world, throughout the year, for a variety of lengths, and at various price points. Itineraries are typically custom-designed by faculty and include a mix of group activities and free time for independent exploration. Anyone who wishes to participate can register with a spouse or friend, or come as a single and make new friends during the trip.

Gene DiLorenzo ’85 took this photo of (from left) Macie Hanks, Loralee DiLorenzo ’85, and Lucia DiLorenzo while they were on the Study Travel program “Baja California and the Sea of Cortez: Among the Great Whales,” led by St. Olaf Professor Emeritus of Biology Ted Johnson and retired medical technologist Michelle Johnson in February 2018.

“Not all of our participants have a previous link to St. Olaf,” says Director of Alumni & Family Travel Heidi Quiram. “Everyone in the group enjoys each other because they’re like-minded travelers, with an interest in learning about people and cultures and not just skimming the surface of a place.”

Learn more about St. Olaf Alumni & Family Travel on the program page.