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| Who We Are |
Seminars International,
Inc., a travel consulting organization created in 1968, serves the
needs of special interest, educational, religious, and performing
arts groups who seek to enhance their programs through travel. A fully
accredited travel agency specializing in customized group tours, we
are committed to the use of travel as a tool of ministry, education,
and joy.
Back row (l to r) Ron Rolland, Mike Huff, Tave Reser, Shane Anderson
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| Who We Serve |
| Our primary clients are
schools, churches, performing arts groups, and special interest organizations.
Since 1973 we have served as the travel study arranger for the Upper
Midwest Association for Intercultural Education (UMAIE), a consortium
of seven colleges and universities providing an annual January Term
Abroad. "I never fully recognized or appreciated the efficiency, care, and concern which Seminars International showers on this program. All of you are making a most significant contribution to the educational efforts of the instructors." — Board Member, UMAIE After years of increasing involvement with performing arts groups, the Performing Arts International division was established to serve their needs. Working with bands, choirs, orchestras, and drama groups, we arrange for the most appropriate concert and performance venues and provide promotional assistance to generate responsive audiences. "The staff of Performing Arts International has never been anything but thoroughly professional, wonderfully generous, and amazingly sensitive to all our needs." — Choir Director, Drake University |
| What We Do |
| The essence of our service
is that we do what each client asks us to do. Creative program planning
begins with a leader's ideas, and a trained operations staff brings
those ideas to fruition. Services include itinerary planning, program
arrangements, cultural event bookings, home visits, and specialized
sightseeing. Accommodations, meals, surface and air transportation,
and guide/courier services are designed to meet each client's unique
requirements. "I have wanted my groups' tour experiences to be a bit unusual. My ideas about special touches have been welcomed and often further improved by the travel-wise staff. And the arrangements are dependable." — District Superintendent, United Methodist Church Tour brochures and/or flyers are provided to encourage enrollments, and pre-departure information packets are assembled and distributed to all travelers. Individual participants may also obtain assistance in planning their special travel needs around the basic group itinerary. "The trip went smooth as silk. Our tour guide was exceptional, our bus driver was most helpful, and the hotel was lovely. All in all, I think it went flawlessly. Thanks for making this marvelous tour happen." — Faculty Member, North Hennepin Community College |
| Where In The World We Go |
| Seminars International
goes where you want to go. We are in our fourth decade of taking groups
to every continent but Antarctica. From farm stays in New Zealand
to studying biology in the Hawaiian Islands, we take pilgrimages to
Reformation sites in Europe and sojourns into South Africa. Our groups
experience the culture of the Far East, savor the cuisine of Italy,
hike in the Alps, paint and sketch in France, and become inspired
by reconciliation efforts in Northern Ireland and Israel. "The roots of the United Church of Christ lie deep in the soil of England and Old Europe. It has been my great honor to accompany UCC groups on six exhilarating, hands-on journeys to explore that rich heritage. All of these travel programs were custom-designed by Seminars International. Why? Because they are the very best at what they do!" — Executive, United Church of Christ, Board for Homeland Ministries We are always eager for new destinations and program ideas. If you are interested in creating a travel program or would like to join one of our tours as a participant, please let us know. "The trip was an unqualified success — a smash hit, even — and a lot of the credit goes to Seminars International for all the planning and advance preparation." — Faculty Member, Illinois Wesleyan University |
| Seminars International
was created to provide valuable travel experiences which foster cross-cultural
understanding. Churches use the world as a center of experiential
ministry, and schools use the world as a classroom. Travel itself
is one of the most dynamic educational processes one can experience.
Purposeful travel has a life-changing impact. "Touring in a Seminars International group lends unique support while one seeks to integrate oneself into a foreign culture. Sharing a discovery with others brings closure to a learned concept. It's not always how much one learns, but the quality of the learning experience that counts." — Faculty Member, University of Wisconsin, LaCrosse Today, people are looking for meaning in their travel — for revitalizing experiences that jog them out of their daily routines, exercising their bodies and minds. Our tours appeal to those who are eager to actively participate, who want to feel the emotional energy that distinguishes a significant travel experience from one that is merely a casual passage through a strange place. "I have traveled overseas nine or ten times, but this was without a doubt the most wonderful experience. Knowledgeable guide, attention to every detail — a perfect trip!" — Tour Participant, Israel: Land of Heritage and Hope |
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Seminars
International, Inc. / Performing Arts International
27 East Monroe Street, Suite 800
Chicago, IL 60603-5600
Tel (312) 332-7027 --- Fax (312) 332-5509