When students apply to sail on the study abroad voyage known as Semester at Sea they are often surprised to discover the variety of different people who call the ship home. Each semester between 300 and 800 college students join professors, children, life long learners, and people from all over the world on the ship. This unique experience brings together voyagers of all ages and backgrounds and provides an opportunity to get to know them all.
Students on Semester at Sea
Every student sailing for a semester will get academic credit from University of Virginia, the school that hosts and operates Semester at Sea. But a very small percentage of students on the voyage are from UVA. Any college student, no matter what school they attend, can participate.
Many colleges are represented by only one student on a voyage. International college students are welcome as well. These young adults will find themselves surrounded by new friends and faces from countless schools and numerous countries.
Shipboard Professors, Academic Staff, and Employees
The Semester at Sea teachers and staff change with every semester, just like the students do. Professors, usually with international experience, from colleges all over the United States can apply for a teaching position on the ship. These professors teach a wide variety of subjects on the ship and live right alongside the students.
Semester at Sea also hires many other academic staff members such as librarians, Deans, teaching assistants, and counselors. These staff members help the academic body function just like at a normal college.
Each voyage will also have a handful of Resident Directors, just like a college dorm would have. These RD's were usually RD's at their own colleges and have experience taking care of a large group of students. The ship also hires a new doctor and nurse each semester to keep an eye on the health of the voyagers. There are also staff members who are in charge of organizing student activities, running field programs within each country the ship visits, and working in the ship bookstore and shop.
Teachers at Sea and Life Long Learners
Adults who aren't hired can go on Semester at Sea as well. The Life Long Learning program is for older voyagers who wish to travel and learn with the students. These adults, often retired, live right with everyone else on the ship and audit classes.
Semester at Sea also offers a Teachers at Sea program for licensed teachers to work on bringing the world into their classrooms. They travel and audit classes along with the students.
Family and Lecturers on Semester at Sea
Many of the professors and staff members choose to bring their families for all or some of the voyage. Husbands, wives, and even children can be found on the ship. Students can enroll in the babysitting program to interact with the shipboard children and can sometimes even earn money doing it!
People who live, or have lived, in one of the countries the ship visits are invited onto the ship for a short period of time before arriving in their country. They give lectures and presentations about their home country and live on the ship with everyone else. They often go on the trips in the country with the students.
Crew Members on Semester at Sea
Of course, the ship also has a large crew. The crew members do everything from cleaning and operating the ship to making meals, cleaning rooms, serving food, and keeping everything behind the scenes running. The crew hails from dozens of countries. Students can often get to know some crew members fairly well and can benefit from learning about their lives.
The crew members are the only people aboard the ship who stay longer than one Semester. Voyagers who strike up a conversation with them may learn things about a previous voyage. The lucky student who sails more than once may even see some familiar faces among the crew.
Living Together on Semester at Sea
All of these different groups come together on each voyage. They live in the same hallways, eat at the same tables, and go on the same trips. Unlike a college dining hall it isn't unusual to see students, professors, and young children all enjoying a meal together. Everyone on the ship has a chance to get to know and befriend people they would otherwise have never met.
Semester at Sea welcomes people from every walk of life. Those who don't quite know where they fit in need only to contact Semester at Sea and they are sure to find a way to join in on the voyage of a lifetime.
Katie Ouderkirk - Katie Ouderkirk started working at a barn when she was ten. As the years went on she worked at a number of different barns, two zoos, and ...
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