On Oct. 22, 1963, Semester at Sea set sail on its first voyage around the world and now 50 years later students are still experiencing the same type of global education.
Semester at Sea is a multiple-country study abroad program sponsored by The University of Virginia that is open to students of all majors.
Students from 250 to 300 colleges in the United States and around the world participate in Semester at Sea each term, and earned credit is transferable to a student’s home institution.
“Semester at Sea educates students with the global understanding necessary to address the challenges of our interdependent world,” Director of Public Affairs Lauren Judge said. “The opportunities for students both on board the ship and after completion of the program are endless.”
Ole Miss senior and biology major, Brooke Parker, participated in Semester at Sea during the summer of 2012 and the spring of 2013. “I heard about SAS through a flyer in Shoemaker Hall, so I decided to Google it,” Parker said. “I thought it was a really cool study abroad program to look into.”
The program offers three different voyages: fall, spring and summer.
“During a voyage, Semester at Sea students have the world as their classroom, participating in a unique shipboard program that integrates multiple-country study, interdisciplinary coursework and hands-on field experiences for meaningful engagement in the global community,” Judge said.
The fall and spring voyages last between 100 and 110 days and include 10 to 14 international destinations and students receive 12 to 15 transferable credits from the University of Virginia. The summer voyage lasts 65 to 70 days and students receive between 9 and 12 transferable credits from the University of Virginia.
“I knew I would never have the courage to leave for an entire semester,” Parker said. “That is the reason why I decided to do the summer voyage first, but once I did the summer voyage I was hooked, addicted and in love so I came back to Ole Miss for a semester and then did the spring voyage the second semester of my junior year.”
During the summer voyage, Parker traveled to the Bahamas, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Greece, Turkey, Morocco and Portugal. On the spring voyage, Parker visited Japan, China, Vietnam, Singapore, Burma, India, Mauritius, South Africa, Ghana, Morocco and Spain.
“The spring voyage changed my life,” Parker said. “To visit so many third world countries, developing nations and diverse cultures opened my eyes to things I could never have imagined.”
While in Ghana, Parker had to walk half a mile for drinking water. She also had to kill a chicken for a meal in South Africa. Parker experienced cultural and societal differences such as having to cover her hair in Morocco and eating insects in a village in Cambodia.
“I came back to the U.S. with a totally different perspective on life. I learned to have a global appreciation for the world,” Parker said.
After her experience with Semester at Sea, Parker plans to live in Africa and teach English upon graduating.
Business administration sophomore Kayla McCarty is going on the Spring 2014 voyage with Semester at Sea. It will be McCarty’s first time to travel outside of the country.
“I learned about SAS through a freshman class,” McCarty said. “ I was bored this summer so I decided to research it. After looking at YouTube videos and finding out information, I decided I had to go. My parents said no at first because of the expense, but they (SAS) offer several scholarships and a lot of my aid from Ole Miss is transferring to SAS.”
Although McCarty has never been on a ship before, she is looking forward to the new experiences.
“I am a little nervous about living on a ship,” she said. “I bet it is a lot like a cruise, but longer. However, I know that this will be a life changing experience, and I can’t wait to begin the journey.”
McCarty will travel to Hawaii, Japan, China, Vietnam, Singapore, Burma, India and Mauritius during her voyage. She also has a blog, which she plans to update with stories about her Semester at Sea, Missiseapi.tumblr.com.
“The best thing a candidate can do is demonstrate a true interest in global education,” Judge said. “We’re looking for students who are committed to academics and want to challenge their view of the world.”
In order to be considered for the Semester at Sea program, students must first complete an online application by going to http://www.semesteratsea.org/apply/.
If accepted into the program, students must make a deposit to reserve a cabin space. Financial aid is available to help with program fees.
