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St. Olaf College | News

Offering opportunities abroad for travelers of all ages

Travelers on the "Portugal: Exploring Hilltop Cities by the Sea" program.
Travelers on the “Portugal: Exploring Hilltop Cities by the Sea” program, led by Professor Emeritus of Religion Eric Lund and Retired Assistant Curator of the Kierkegaard Library Cynthia Lund, posed for photos during their May 2017 trip.

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 have never been limited to just students. Study Travel has been providing trips for alumni, parents, families, and the public for decades, and has been recently renamed Alumni and Family Travel.

“As the parent of a first-year student, I know most families are focused on study abroad opportunities for their Ole children,” says Alumni and Family Travel Director Heidi Quiram. “With our name change, we wanted to cut through the confusion and differentiate Alumni and Family Travel from student study abroad.”

For each of the destinations, Alumni and Family Travel provides lodging, transportation, and the camaraderie of an Ole community in groups no larger than 25 travelers. Most trips are led by a professor knowledgeable about the destination, giving a unique educational spin to vacations.

Travelers on the "Divas and Delights: An Opera Tour of Italy" program.
Travelers on the “Divas and Delights: An Opera Tour of Italy” program, led by Instructor in Music Karen Wilkerson and Pastor Gary Wilkerson, enjoy the sights during their March 2017 trip.

“Alumni and Family Travel makes it possible for you to change the way you see the world,” Quiram says. “Indulge your curiosity, grow your knowledge, and experience more.”

Destinations range from Minnesota’s own Boundary Waters to countries like Cuba, Jordan, Switzerland, or New Zealand.

“It’s your desire to continually change the way you see other cultures, to remain curious, and to always be learning that makes it possible for us to do what we do,” Quiram says. “Thanks for letting us share the world with you.”