NEWSLETTER FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF SEMESTER AT SEA ISSUE 95 MATES SPRING 2008 A Look Back to 1963 We thought you might enjoy this excerpt about our Fall 1963 voyage from the “History of Institute for Shipboard Education” by Paul Liebhardt. With Dr. Woodrow Whitten of California Western University as dean of the ship, the Seven Seas sailed from New York on October 22, 1963. Although only 275 students sailed, it was a 110-day voyage that none would forget. The students were received by their foreign hosts Start Spreading the News with great ceremony, and acclaimed pioneers of a new era of international education and SAS to Celebrate 45 Years with a Gala and Reunion in NYC friendship. Of the many places they visited, none would forget Monte Carlo and the address given them by Jacques Cousteau orty-fi ve years ago, the inaugural The Alumni Gala will showcase the on the importance of preserving the oceans; voyage of Semester at Sea (then extraordinary photos taken by New York the Red Sea, where the Seven Seas dropped F called the University of the Seven photographer Micah Diamond during the anchor over the continental shelf so that the Seas) sailed out of New York City aboard Spring 2007 voyage when Nobel Peace oceanography class could scuba dive and the Ryndam, beginning what has become Prize recipient, Archbishop Desmond collect samples; or Vietnam and the U.S. Army the most prestigious shipboard education Tutu sailed the entire voyage. The event helicopter escorts that kept an eye out for program in history. This June, Semester at will take place on the MV Explorer and snipers as they sailed up the Saigon River. Sea will celebrate the successes of the last will include a program hosted by New 45 years with an alumni event right where York alumni featuring SAS President Les it all began. McCabe. IN THIS ISSUE On June 6th, the MV Explorer will sail Alumni and friends are invited to 2 Message from the President into New York Harbor for a Semester at join us for the entire Alumni Weekend 3 SAS News Sea Alumni Weekend. All alumni, fam- and stay on the ship, or join us for the 4–5 Reunion Voyage to Belize ily, and friends are invited to stay on the Saturday evening Alumni Gala only. 6–7 Alumni Inspired by Semester at Sea ship for a weekend of events June 6-8, For more information, please visit the 8-9 Alumni Support SAS including a Friday evening celebration SAS website: www.semesteratsea.org or 12-13 Manifest (Voyage Notes) of Semester at Sea’s 45th Birthday and a call Semester at Sea at 1-800-854-0195. 14 My Life at Sea Saturday evening Alumni Gala. 15 Who’s Who at SAS Don’t miss the arrival of the MV Explorer when it pulls into Pier 88 at the New York Passenger Ship Terminal at 55th ~Street around 10 a.m. on Friday, June 6! Message from the President SHIPMATES Editor-in-Chief Les McCabe, Ph.D. Nancy Cable Editors Melissa Holland Lauren Heinz s I travel through- that all of you know the importance of your vol- John Healy out the United unteer leadership in whatever form that may take. AStates I am fortu- We invite you to invest in the future of Semester at Designer Anne Matthews nate to meet with alumni Sea by letting us know your areas of interest and who want to support Semester at Sea. In many support, and by reaching out to fellow alumni, urg- Contributors instances, these individuals have had little or no ing them to update their contact information with Courtney Miller, Jason Scott, Krista Weih contact with Semester at Sea since they sailed, the program. but whether they sailed 40 or 5 years ago, their Another example of how you can have a direct Production Assistant enthusiasm for Semester at Sea remains a univer- impact on Semester at Sea is by volunteering for Christine Papandrea sal passion. our new Alumni Admissions Ambassadors pro- Photographers Supporting Semester at Sea fi nancially is cer- gram. Student recruitment is a critical component Patrick Cavan Brown, John David Becker, Micah Diamond tainly always appreciated, particularly as we move to our success; yet, as a non-profi t, we have a lim- beyond our transition period of the last two years, ited marketing and media budget to conduct out- Shipmates is published three into a stable, successful future for the program with reach to prospective students. Our most successful times a year by the Development our new ship, new academic affi liation, and re- tool in informing college students and their parents and Alumni Affairs Offi ce of the Institute for Shipboard Education. newed alumni and development efforts. However, about Semester at Sea is you: our alumni. You Copyright 2008. your commitment of time, ideas, and contacts is will be invited to connect to prospective students Semester at Sea also substantially important and has a direct ef- and their parents to encourage them to consider c/o Development and Alumni Affairs fect on our success, as witnessed recently by the Semester at Sea as a part of their undergraduate PO Box 400885 Alumni Reunion Voyage to Belize in January. This education and to serve as a point of contact. Charlottesville, VA 22904 hugely successful voyage was the direct result of The next quarter for Semester at Sea is quickly Toll free: 800-854-0195 fi lling with many exciting plans that you will be Email: [email protected] hearing about in the coming weeks. All of these Web: www.semesteratsea.org Your contributions to Semester at events represent opportunities to engage, or re-engage, with Semester at Sea. I hope you will ITINERARIES Sea, in whatever form they may take, take advantage of the chance to relive memories of your own voyage and to realize the intrinsic Summer 2008 June 15 to August 22, 2008 are considered a gift of confi dence in personal value of making a difference in the lives Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada of future students who will participate in this pro- the future of this enterprise, and for Bergen, Norway gram. We invite you to please help us in our efforts St. Petersburg, Russia that we are profoundly grateful. to make Semester at Sea an option for all students, Copenhagen, Denmark no matter their fi nancial circumstance, and to Antwerp, Belgium continue to enhance the socioeconomic diversity Naples, Italy the assistance of over 40 alumni volunteers. Simply of the program that many of us believe was the Istanbul, Turkey Piraeus, Greece put, we could not have conducted such a reunion, most signifi cant component of our undergraduate Dubrovnik, Croatia nor can we plan and implement the signifi cant up- education. Norfolk, VA coming events you will learn about soon, without Preserving and fulfi lling the vision that began Fall 2008 your fi nancial help and talented support. with C.Y. Tung’s vision for the power of shipboard August 29 to December 14, 2008 While the SAS team in Charlottesville is working education is a goal that we all share. Your contribu- Nassau, Bahamas hard to make your global education alma mater the tions to Semester at Sea, in whatever form they Salvador, Brazil best international education experience available, may take, are considered a gift of confi dence in Walvis Bay, Namibia the success of our efforts relies on the support we the future of this enterprise, and for that we are Cape Town, South Africa receive from you. Under the leadership of our Vice profoundly grateful. I look forward to seeing many Chennai, India Penang, Malaysia President of Development and Alumni Affairs, Dr. of you at our upcoming events in New York City, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam Nancy Cable, we are reaching out to SAS alumni Hong Kong, and Norfolk. In the meantime, all of us Hong Kong and Shanghai, China across the country and around the globe. A new at Semester at Sea are privileged to stand ready to Kobe and Yokohama, Japan Alumni Association Board of Directors has been serve you and our future participants in our shared Honolulu, Hawaii formed and has established an ambitious set of commitment to this vital program. Puntarenas, Costa Rica goals and objectives. While we recognize that Transit Panama Canal Miami, Florida many of our alumni have limited time, we hope Note: Itineraries subject to change. 2 SAS NEWS Announcing the SAS Alumni Association Board of Directors t is a privilege to serve as the Honorary Chair of the Semester at Sea IAlumni Association Board of Directors. My hope for the SAS Alumni Association is to provide greater outreach and opportuni- ties for our alumni to connect and support the mission of Semester at Sea. Our alumni serve an integral role in the Semester at Sea community and the SAS Alumni Association is dedicated to providing opportunities for more alumni to stay involved in a way that is personally meaningful and adds value to Semester at Sea. As a board of your peers, we want to capitalize on your loyalty and dedication and channel it in productive ways to move the program forward. We understand that the passion our alumni feel for SAS is what fuels their drive to stay connected with the (L – R), Erin Lastinger, Honorary Chair, SAS Alumni Association Board of Directors; Gary Lastinger; Morgan program, volunteer their valuable time and Lastinger; Les McCabe, President, ISE/SAS; Professor Robert J. Dieter, U.S. Ambassador to Belize and Bonnie Fletcher (S82), President-Elect, SAS Alumni Association Board of Directors talents, support the program fi nancially and join us for reunions, receptions and everyone in the SAS family knows what is Semester at Sea to prospective students, events, therefore, we want to create an happening with the program, increasing parents, faculty, staff, and Life Long environment for our alumni to participate alumni participation in the SAS Annual Learners as the incredible experience we in all of these activities.