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2000 Summer Seminar >
Conference Life
 When most people hear the word "seminar," they
picture a lecturer in front of an audience. And the
Summer Seminar certainly offers a week full of challenging
and inspiring lectures, from some of the finest
speakers available anywhere. "It's the way a college
education ought to have been," comments James Campbell, a past
participant. "Every lecture is a pleasure—stimulating and
rewarding for its content."
But the Summer Seminar is much more than lectures. Over the
years, it has evolved into an intense experience of what it means
to be an Objectivist—and of what it means to live in a thriving
Objectivist community. There's plenty of time for socializing,
and abundant opportunities for entertainment and recreation, both
on campus and in the Vancouver area.
The seminar's relaxed, benevolent social atmosphere has
allowed friendships, business partnerships, even romances and
marriages to blossom! "On the first day of the conference,
I realized that I had never felt so welcome among a group of people
I had never met," recalls Marc McClure. "I felt like part of a
large, extended family, eager to open up and celebrate the value
they found in each other."
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This unique social experience begins on the first afternoon you
arrive, with a special welcoming reception for newcomers. You'll
meet and chat with the Center's staff, and learn what the week has
in store for you. Immediately afterwards, you'll join hundreds
of attendees from all over the world at our opening day picnic, held
outdoors on the beautiful grounds of the campus. It's a wonderful
opportunity to mingle, meet people, and—if you're a veteran
of past conferences—to greet old friends over a hearty meal of
traditional picnic fare.
That evening—and each night of the week—you can sit and relax
with your fellow participants in the informal atmosphere of the
Common Room.
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"This week has been one of the best of my life.
I feel refueled and
ready to return to my home, my job, my friends, and my family with a
better sense of who I am as an Objectivist and how I can improve each of
these areas of my life." - Samantha Johnston
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Over refreshments, you can get to know each other, talk to TOC staff
members and seminar faculty, debate the issues raised at the day's
presentations. Or in a more secluded spot nearby, you can strum a
guitar, organize a group sing-along, or simply stroll outside under
the stars with someone special.
 Or do you want to share with everyone a special skill or talent—an
original theory—a challenging argument? Each evening, we set aside
time and classroom space for Participant-Sponsored Sessions, giving
you a free platform for your own presentations.
Families get special attention this year, including optional
accommodations in spacious private suites that offer kitchenettes,
private baths, and cable TV. With a large menu of social
and recreational options, families should find many things to engage
their interests.
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This year, the entertainment, educational, and
recreational opportunities will be more abundant and diverse than
ever. Each afternoon you may attend optional "how-to" workshops
on self-development, mathematics, physical fitness, poetry,
music, oratory, and more—or take some free time for yourself.
You can explore the campus's lovely botanical gardens and its
outstanding museums of anthropology and zoology. You may use its
athletic and recreational facilities, including a
fully-equipped gymnasium, pool, and tennis courts.
Wednesday afternoon is left open, so you'll have time to tour the
local area. You can climb a mountain—or dare to walk across the
popular Capilano suspension bridge, which sways hundreds of feet
above a granite-walled canyon. You can ride a helicopter
over Vancouver...browse downtown shops, museums, and art
galleries...take in a symphony, musical, or play...go dining and
dancing, golfing, or windsurfing...attend a horse race, a lacrosse
match, or even a minor league baseball game.
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"Being a part of a group that shares my beliefs
and many of my values is
deeply gratifying." - Christina Mitakis
"This is a life-changing event for many participants. Everyone enjoys
learning and sharing ideas in a benevolent and supportive
community." - Don Parrish
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On campus, your evening options include two piano recitals
by accomplished musicians, a dramatic presentation of
Kipling's verse, a live theatrical performance and discussion, and
the Center's Movie Night classic film series. Tuesday evening there
also will be a meeting of local Objectivist club leaders; and on
Thursday night, TOC's top contributors will gather at a very special
location for the elegant Sponsors Dinner, our annual celebration of
the Center's continuing growth and success. The week comes to a
rousing conclusion on Friday night at our gala Closing Banquet and
Dance. It's a time to dress up, feast on a sumptuous dinner, and
then dance the night away.
And if you take the extended stay option before or after the
conference, your sight-seeing can take you farther—perhaps to the
famous village of Whistler, a year-round mountain playground for
outdoor enthusiasts. In fact, for many participants and
their families the Summer Seminar will be just the first week of an
unforgettable summer vacation in a spectacular setting.
 For virtually all who attend, the Summer Seminar experience is
an emotional tonic, a high point in their lives. "Having the
opportunity to live in an Objectivist community for a whole week
gives me the spiritual fuel that I never realized I needed,"
writes Donna Sensor. Adds Lorenzo Thomson: "It rekindled my
fire."
So join us on July 1 st in Vancouver—the "Atlantis" of the
Pacific. Fill your first summer of the new century with ideas and
inspiration, fun and friendship.
Enroll for the Summer Seminar today!
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Read about the entire 2000 TOC Summer Seminar:
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