For more than four decades, the University's Semester at Sea program has changed the way students see the world. This semester is no exception.
This past August, about 600 students boarded a cruise ship and embarked on Semester At Sea's 100th voyage. During the past 81 days, SAS participants have docked in nine destinations, including Spain, South Africa and India. With just more than two weeks left to travel, SAS students will soon set sail for their final four stops: China, Japan, Hawaii and California.
The SAS study abroad program, which began at the University in 1963, is a one-of-a-kind academic adventure. Each year, it attracts about 2,000 students from all across the United States, said Lauren Heinz, the program's assistant vice president of communications and media relations.
Even after 100 voyages, Heinz said, the goal of the program remains the same - to be the leading provider of global education by affording every student on board with the best academic curriculum possible.
"Compared to traditional study abroad programs, Semester at Sea gives you the chance to compare different cultures," said former participant Greg Lessans. Lessans, a senior at the University of Maryland, attended SAS last spring.
"Each stop is a completely different world," he said. "Participating in the program gives you a better perspective as an American student."
SAS is no typical study abroad program, especially this semester. In honor of the program's 100th voyage, students have an opportunity to participate in a special service project called The $100 Solution. The project allows SAS students to put $100 toward a cause of their choice, Heinz said. They will receive a total of $300 so that they can contribute to deserving recipients in three different countries they visit.
"To celebrate, we wanted to honor our mission and all of those who have contributed to our mission in a way that is one of a kind," she said. "This project is meaningful and represents an opportunity that is student initiated. Communities around the world need help and students can make a lasting contribution through the project."
Students on the 100th voyage recently made their first donation to an orphanage in Vietnam that was affected by Agent Orange, a harmful chemical used during the Vietnam War.
The orphanage only had access to cold water for the children to bathe in. Consequently, the students decided to put their first $100 donation toward a water heating system.
"It was an analytical process," Heinz said. "The students made the decision within the community."
During his SAS trip, Lessans remembered forming a similar sense of community with the other students onboard. "We formed a community - a huge community. On the ship, if you walk by someone, you always stop to say hello, which can be weird on a regular campus," he said.
Together, he and his shipmates enjoyed a wealth of new experiences both in and out of the classroom. Many students are surprised by the level and amount of work, Lessans said.
"Going into the voyage, everyone thinks that the classes will be easy," Lessans said. But "classes on the ship demand your full attention. I was very challenged, and it was well worth it."
Lewis noted that he had a similar experience, adding that while many students are attracted to the program primarily because of the opportunity to see the world, it is still "definitely academically rigorous."
Visiting as many as 12 countries per semester, students at sea attend classes every day, including weekends. University alumna Dionna Lewis said much of what students learn comes from experiential study.
In their free time, students can take advantage of the ship's facilities by swimming in the pool, shopping in the bookstore or spending time in the computer lab. Adventuring off the boat and in the cities, they can visit famous landmarks and taste traditional foods in each country.
"It's not everyday that you get to literally travel around the world," she said. "Before Semester at Sea, I had never been on a cruise ship before. I had the opportunity to learn about so many other cultures."
Describing her memorable visit to an authentic Japanese restaurant, Lewis recalled how the menu was written entirely in Japanese and how the waiters spoke no English.
"We had to guess what we were ordering and face the bill when it was time to pay," she joked.
Lewis said that experience and other ones like it were what made her Semester at Sea journey memorable and unique.
"It really is life-changing," Lewis said.
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