College Conference 2024 Theme

December 27 – 30, 2024

Christ, the King of All

At each Divine Liturgy in the Orthodox Church, we welcome the Lord at the Great Entrance as we chant the words of the Cherubic Hymn saying, “Let us, who mystically represent the Cherubim and sing the thrice-holy hymn to the life-giving Trinity, lay aside all worldly cares, that we may receive the King of All, invisibly escorted by the angelic hosts. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.”

OCF invites you to College Conference 2024 as we explore together what it means for Christ to rule as the King in our lives while we also search and uproot any other power that may have dominion instead.

“…He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of Lords”

(1 Timothy 6:15)

Who will you allow to reign in your life? This is your invitation to flourish spiritually, intellectually, and personally. Come, and receive Jesus, the King of All this December at College Conference.

Registration is open now, through December 1st.

Register

Registration closes on December 1.

Frequently Asked Questions

College Conference takes place from December 27-30th, 2024 in two locations: East at Antiochian Village in Bolivar, Pennsylvania, and Midwest at St. Iakovos Retreat Center in Kansasville, Wisconsin.

All registrants must pay a non-refundable $100 deposit to secure their spot at College Conference 2024. The remaining balance of $300 may be fully or partially covered by a scholarship. Scholarship applications will be open from September 20 to October 31, 2024, and will be awarded based on need on a rolling basis. Additionally, students may apply for up to $300 in travel scholarships to cover the cost of a flight. Once a travel scholarship amount is approved, the recipient must submit their flight receipt to be reimbursed the full amount of the scholarship or the full amount of the flight, whichever is less. Travel reimbursements will be distributed after the conference in January. Only those who are flying to College Conference will be eligible to apply for a travel scholarship.

The scholarship application will be posted on September 20 and will be available until October 31, 2024.

In the event a participant needs to cancel his/her registration for the College Conference program, all cancellations must be submitted via email communication no later than December 15, 2024, to OCF’s Ministry Coordinator, Ivy Gabriella Tesfay at ivygabriella@ocf.net.

Upon notice of cancellation, any scholarship will be forfeited. Payments, excluding the deposit, will be refunded to the participant on the original form of payment. Refunds will not be issued for requests made after December 15, 2024, at 11:59 PM ET.

Students have the option to add Purchase Protection to their registration which may help facilitate a late refund in the event of unforeseen circumstances preventing them from attending College Conference such as death, health emergencies, crime, transportation failure, and more. To learn more about this option, visit here. Please note that Purchase Protection is offered through a third party and that OCF is not responsible for the actions, decisions, or refunds processed by them.

All remaining balances are due on December 1st, 2024.

The content of College Conference is based in the Orthodox Christian tradition, which is applicable to any person at any point in their life. While the conference is targeted towards college students, much of the core content will be relevant for anyone looking to learn more about the faith and grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ.

Roommates will be assigned by the OCF staff prior to each conference. A roommate request can be submitted at the time of registration or at a later date by creating an account from the link in your confirmation email. For your roommate request to be honored, you must request only one roommate, and both roommates must request each other. Students may be assigned rooms where they do not know their roommate(s).

Both conferences will have a medical professional on site at all times during the conference to assist in administering first aid should the need arise.

A College Conference East Shuttle will be available to/from the Pittsburgh International Airport and to/from the Johnstown, PA train station. Students are responsible for booking their own flight or train ticket within the following parameters:

  • Pittsburgh Airport Transportation – Participants must arrive at Pittsburgh International Airport on December 27 by 2:00 PM to depart on the 3:00 PM shuttle. Participants must book flights leaving Pittsburgh International Airport after 5:00 PM on December 30. The airport shuttle will leave Antiochian Village at 12:00 PM.
  • Johnstown Train Station Transportation – One shuttle pick-up option is available on December 27 departing the Johnstown Station at 4:00 PM. Participants must book trains leaving Johnstown to depart after 2:00 PM on December 30, as the shuttle will leave Antiochian Village at 12:00.

A College Conference Midwest Shuttle will be available to/from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD). Students are responsible for booking their own flight or train ticket within the following parameters:

  • Students must arrive at Chicago O’Hare International Airport no later than 3:30 PM to depart on a 4:30 PM shuttle on December 27, 2024.
  • Students must depart Chicago O’Hare International Airport no earlier than 3:30 PM on December 30, 2024. The airport shuttle will leave SIRC at 12:00 PM.

Registration is $400 per student for students registering by October 31, 2024. The price will increase to $425 for any students registering between November 1-December 1, 2024.

Registration covers all lodging, meals, speakers, and activities for the duration of the conference. Participants are responsible for transportation to the conference including the cost of any flights or funds they may want for personal use during travel or the conference. Need-based scholarships are available on a first-come-first-serve basis which can cover up to the remaining registration cost and some or all travel expenses. See the scholarship section above for more information.

Registrants can create an account and access their registration to make payments and update information by clicking here. All remaining balances must be paid in full by December 1, 2024. Balances not paid in full by this date will automatically be charged to the original form of payment.

College Conference is designed for students, ages 18-25. If you’ve graduated but are within the age range, yes, you can still register.

Unfortunately, the College Conference program cannot accommodate unexpected visitors. If someone would like to visit the conference, please have him or her contact the OCF National Office in advance of the conference so that the request can be considered on a case-by-case basis, and if approved, appropriate accommodations can be arranged. Visitors will be expected to pay a “day” rate for their attendance. No visitors may stay overnight in a participant’s room. Conference badges are required to be worn at all times by participants and visitors to all events.

Most food allergies and dietary restrictions will be accommodated if they are made known to us through the registration form.

Participants who are driving to the conference should plan to arrive between 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM local time on Friday, December 27th, 2024, and depart at noon on Monday, December 30th, 2024. Participants who are flying MUST book flights within the designated times at the designated airports as specified in the registration travel policy specific to their conference. If you are unable to book your flights within these windows, you will be responsible for your own transportation to and from the retreat center.

A more detailed packing list will be sent out before the conference to each registrant, but here are some essentials:

  • Casual clothing for four days, including a liturgy
  • Personal toiletries
  • Bedding (Midwest only)
  • Talent show items (instruments, props, poetry, etc.)
  • Personal prayer items (Bible, prayer book, prayer rope, etc.)