President's Bio

Les McCabe, President of the Institute for Shipboard Education

Les McCabe joined the Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE)-the parent organization of the world-recognized Semester at Sea (SAS) global study abroad program-in August 1987. A widely recognized expert on both the academic and social value of global education, and the intricacies of shipboard safety and risk management, McCabe served as Director of Operations and Chief Operating Officer prior to assuming the role of President and CEO in November 2006.

McCabe has led the program through a reorganization of the ISE Board of Trustees, the integration of the historic ISE Foundation into the ISE/SAS program as a non profit, 501(c)(3) organization, the attainment of a long-term lease for the current ship, the MV Explorer (a 24,000 ton vessel that is among the fastest ocean-going vessels in the world), and the creation of a new academic partnership for the program with The University of Virginia. As President, he has led the effort to increase and reorganize the Semester at Sea staff to increase the fiscal strength and the outreach of an effort that has served over 45,000 alumni over its 45-year history as the premier program in transglobal shipboard education. As Board of Trustee chairman, Rick Rickertsen of Pine Creek Partners Venture Capital recently remarked, "We have in our new President Les McCabe, the intellect, the dedication, and the extraordinary expertise to accelerate the reach and the quality of Semester at Sea for decades to come."

A native of Claremont, California, McCabe holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California at Irvine, a Master's Degree in social work from The University of Washington, a second Master's degree in Public Administration from Seattle University, and a Ph.D. in Administrative and Policy Studies, with an emphasis in global education from The University of Pittsburgh. After seven years of dedicated service to the clinical needs of children and families in the Seattle area, McCabe joined the Institute for Shipboard Education in Pittsburgh, PA when the program's academic sponsor was The University of Pittsburgh.

McCabe has served the scholarly and professional community in matters related to the impact of global education on the growth and development of youth, including scholarly papers and presentations on "The Development of a Global Perspective: A Comparative Analysis Between China and the United States," "Globalization and Internationalization: The Impact on Education Abroad Programs," "Maximizing Safety and Security and Minimizing Risk in Education Abroad Programs," "In Defense of Academic Exchange: The Cuba Concern," and "Differing Perspectives on Safety and Learning Abroad: American and European Views."

McCabe is a veteran of shipboard education and has sailed on six Semester at Sea voyages, serving as Executive Dean on many of them. In addition, he has been active in professional associations, including the Inter-Organizational Task Force of Safety and Study Abroad, the SECUSSA Health and Safety Committee, the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, and the Association for International Education Administrators, among others.

McCabe and his family live in Charlottesville, Virginia, the location of the headquarters office of ISE/Semester at Sea on the Grounds of the program's academic sponsor, the University of Virginia. His family are also active alumni of Semester at Sea voyages.