It was so nice to spend a week among a group of people who are working to move our culture in the right direction.
Objectivist Summer Conference 2017 will take place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, June 10–15. The conference, held at the center of industrial America, will celebrate productive heroes and the heroism of productiveness. We will also honor the 60th anniversary of Ayn Rand’s master work, Atlas Shrugged. Join us for the unique experience of OCON; attend intellectually stimulating sessions with people who share your deepest values.
Harry Binswanger will give a course titled Concepts and Propositions, covering chapters four and five of his book How We Know. News about other speakers and programming will be revealed in the weeks to come.
Refer a friend who’s never attended OCON and receive a $25 Amazon gift card if he/she attends OCON 2017! Ask your friend to name you when registering, and we’ll reward you after the conference.
There will be a group tour to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater on Friday, June 16. Buses will pick us up from the hotel starting early in the morning, and return to the hotel after the tour. There will be time before or after the tour to walk the garden and browse the museum gift shop. More details coming soon.
Cannot make it to OCON but would like to support students attending the conference? Give a contribution to show your support. (Be sure to write “OCON student scholarships” under Additional Comments.)
Everything exceeded my expectations. The organization was impeccable and everything was perfectly planned. The talks were engaging and entertaining, without losing the seriousness that philosophy deserves.
Click above for more information on Speakers/Schedule
I need no encouragement at this time. I hope to attend for many years to come.
Sheraton Pittsburgh Hotel at Station Square is our host hotel and since all the conference events will be held there, it would be most convenient for you to stay there; however, there’s no obligation to do so.
OCON attendees can make guest room reservations online or by calling +1+800-325-3535, toll free, no later than Thursday, May 18, 2017. In order to receive the special group discount rate, guests must mention that they are with Objectivist Conferences (OCON). Reservations must be canceled by 4 PM ET, seventy-two hours prior to arrival to avoid charges.
Room prices for single and double occupancy start at $135 plus applicable taxes and fees per night. Each additional occupant (up to a maximum of four people) will incur an additional fee of $25 per night. Rollaway beds are an additional $25 per bed, and they are not allowed in rooms which already have two beds.
Everyone attending, including students, should make their own room reservations. A guest checking into a room must be at least eighteen years of age, have a valid picture ID and present a method of payment upon arrival.
Anyone looking for a roommate should post on the OCON Facebook group.
Our discounted room block expires on May 18. For questions not answered on the FAQ, contact OCON Customer Service.
I always thought as an Objectivist, but until this year I didn't know Objectivism existed. This is why attending OCON felt like going back to my lost home. I couldn’t ask for a better week, meeting and surrounding myself with people who think like me, who have the same code of morality. People who want to change the world and can. I’m already looking forward to OCON 2017, so this means I had an amazing time in this year’s Conference.
Absolutely! Some of the content is designed for those new to Ayn Rand’s ideas.
Not at all. Every year there are dozens of first-time attendees. There are receptions and other social events where you can mingle with other attendees. We have attendees from all walks of life, from students to retirees, from first-timers to people who have been to every conference for the past thirty years.
OCON speakers are happy to make themselves available for discussion outside their classes. But please remember that they also need time to relax! Feel free to approach speakers with questions, but please be polite and nonintrusive.
One of the best ways to interact with other attendees before the conference is to join the OCON Facebook group. There, you can chat with other attendees about their plans for the conference. You can also follow OCON on Twitter for general conference updates.
We have a YouTube playlist of videos recorded at recent OCONs here. Also, many of our past conference talks and courses are available in MP3 format at the Ayn Rand Institute eStore.
Many OCON 2016 features will be kept in OCON 2017. We have special programming designed for students as well as programming suitable for all attendees. The conference days have a mix of talks and panels. The Day and Week Passes allow you to choose which days you want to attend and give you access to all the programming offered on those days. If you plan to leave early or arrive late to the conference, purchase a Day Pass for the day(s) you’ll be attending. If you plan to stay for the entire conference, purchase the Week Pass. With both passes, you no longer have to decide ahead of time which events to attend—simply show up and take advantage of everything offered.
Student pricing is available to current students only, and attendance at student events may be required to receive the discounted student pricing. Exceptions may be granted for unique circumstances (e.g., one is returning to school after an absence but not yet a current student). Contact us if you have a question about your eligibility.
Look under the Program tab.
The Week Pass gives you the best price if you plan to attend the entire conference. You gain access to all the programming offered throughout the conference and can take advantage of any of the talks, panels and other events offered each day. You no longer have to pay for individual talks nor do you have to decide ahead of time what you will attend. Simply show up and see what strikes your interest! The Day Pass allows you to attend most events on any single day. If you cannot attend the entire conference, this is the best option for you. Meals are not included in the Day Passes but can be bought separately, as can any program lunches not included in your Week Pass.
Meal registration is not included in the Day or Week Passes, but you can register separately for the meals you’d like to attend when they are made available in the spring of 2017. The Opening Reception will be on June 10 and the Closing Reception, Dinner and Dance on June 15. Lunches will be added to the schedule later.
Absolutely! You can leave a few days early, arrive a few days late or come only for a few days in the middle. Every year we have many attendees who can only stay for part of the conference. The new Day Pass makes it easier than ever to attend only part of OCON.
We are not offering the option of attending single talks or events at this year’s OCON. We recommend that you buy a Day Pass and hope you can take the time to attend several talks or other events on that day.
We are planning to offer livestreaming. More details later.
There is a discount for young adults twenty-nine and under as of June 15, 2017, for full-time students of any age with a valid student ID, and for anyone planning to attend the entire conference. For details, see Registration.
Additional passes can be purchased at any time. If you want to change the dates you are attending, but plan on staying the same total number of days, you can make these changes at any time until June 4, 2017.
Cancellation requests postmarked, emailed or made online by March 31, 2017, will receive a total refund. Cancellation requests postmarked, emailed or made online between April 1 and April 30, 2017, will receive a 50% refund. After May 1, 2017, no refund, except for students, who will receive a refund until May 18.
If you cannot attend all the days you purchased passes for, you should cancel your passes as soon as possible in order to obtain the largest refund. Passes can be canceled at any time before or during the conference, but you will not receive a refund after April 30, 2017.
The Sheraton Pittsburgh Hotel at Station Square is our conference hotel and it’s most convenient to stay there. Summer conference attendees get a generous discount on their room at the Sheraton, and we encourage you to take advantage of these savings. However, you are under no obligation to do so.
We are happy to help you find a roommate. Please call 800.365.6552, ext. 239, or email [email protected] to inquire about how we can help you. You can also inquire about roommates on the OCON Facebook page.
No, you don’t. Sheraton Pittsburgh Hotel at Station Square guestrooms have complimentary Internet for OCON attendees.
You can take an airport shuttle, Uber or taxi from the Pittsburgh airport.
There’s a parking structure outside of the hotel. Special rates may apply; more information later.
OCON meeting rooms are on the first and second floors. We will have signs directing you to conference events. Also, when you first check in at our Attendee Services on the second floor, you will receive a program that contains complete conference information, including a guide and map showing where the events are taking place.
Staff will have bright yellow/goldenrod ribbons attached to their name tags. Feel free to talk to any of us!
OCON has a strict no-solicitation policy. All of our attendees are there to learn and enjoy themselves and should not be approached for funding, employment, etc.
No private audio or video recording is allowed. ARI records OCON events and makes them available later through the Ayn Rand Institute eStore and other venues. However, you are encouraged to take photos and Tweet! We simply ask that you respect our speakers’ wishes and refrain from using flash photography during talks.
Visit the Ayn Rand Institute’s main website, AynRand.org, to explore a wealth of resources related to Ayn Rand and her philosophy, Objectivism. A selection of past conference talks and courses is available at the Ayn Rand Institute eStore, and the Ayn Rand Institute Campus has a large selection of free online courses.
The Closing Reception, Dinner and Dance is dressy. The rest of the conference is casual.
Expand the following registration options to see which one is right for you:
Register for the full conference or for individual Day Passes.
The Prime Movers Club Week Pass includes tuition, the June 10 Opening Reception, the Special Reception with the ARI Board of Directors, the June 15 Closing Reception, Dinner and Dance, and any program lunches offered. Please indicate if you plan to attend these meals when they are offered. A portion of your Prime Movers Club Week Pass, $2,500, is a tax-deductible donation to the Ayn Rand Institute and will sponsor student scholarships to OCON.
The Prime Movers Club Day Pass includes tuition. The Opening Reception on June 10, the Closing Reception, Dinner and Dance on June 15 and program lunches will be offered separately. A portion of your Prime Movers Club Day Pass, $700, is a tax-deductible donation to the Ayn Rand Institute and will sponsor student scholarships to OCON.
Register for the full conference or for individual Day Passes.
The Adult Week Pass includes tuition. The Opening Reception on June 10, the Closing Reception, Dinner and Dance on June 15 and program lunches will be offered separately.
The Adult Day Pass includes tuition. The Opening Reception on June 10, the Closing Reception, Dinner and Dance on June 15 and program lunches will be offered separately.
If you have not attended an OCON organized by ARI—i.e., any of those held since 2002—get an extra 10% discount regardless of when you register. First-timer Week Pass includes the Opening Reception on June 10.
Register before February 28, 2017, to receive a 25% discount on a Day or Week Pass.
Register for the full conference or for individual Day Passes.
The Young Adult Week Pass includes tuition. The Opening Reception on June 10, the Closing Reception, Dinner and Dance on June 15 and program lunches will be offered separately.
The Young Adult Day Pass includes tuition. The Opening Reception on June 10, the Closing Reception, Dinner and Dance on June 15 and program lunches will be offered separately.
In addition to steeply discounted registration pricing, OCON features special programming for students and the opportunity to apply for a scholarship to cover some or all of a student’s expenses. Scholarships up to $1,500 will be awarded, based on merit and travel distance, to students who register for a Week Pass. Any student currently in a degree program (high school or beyond) is eligible to apply.
Note: The student program begins on June 9 at 3:00 p.m. and includes a free student welcome reception from 7:00–9:00 p.m. that evening. Students, especially those receiving scholarships, are expected to attend the June 9 programming unless their schedule prohibits it and they notify ARI ahead of time.
To apply for a scholarship, you must first register for the conference and include your registration confirmation number in your scholarship application. If you choose not to attend after registering, we can refund your registration fee until May 18.
Here are the steps to apply for a scholarship:
(To access the scholarship application directly, click here).
You can register for the full conference or for individual Day Passes.
The Student Week Pass includes tuition, the Opening Reception for Students on June 9 and the Student Lunch with Speakers. The general Opening Reception on June 10, the Closing Reception, Dinner and Dance on June 15 and program lunches will be offered separately.
The Student Day Pass includes tuition. The general Opening Reception on June 10, the Closing Reception, Dinner and Dance on June 15 and program lunches will be offered separately.
