The Institute for Shipboard Education would like to express its deep concern and sympathy for the victims of the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti on January 12. As a global educator whose mission is inextricably linked to global service and engagement in communities around the world, we continue to look for ways that we might provide assistance and support to the people of Haiti. {More»}

"We have observed a rise in student inquiries about experiencing a Semester at Sea voyage as part of a 'gap year' between high school and their first year of college," says Michael Zoll, vice president of admissions, financial aid and student affairs. "A Semester at Sea gap year offers multiple benefits, including the opportunity to experience 8 to 12 other cultures, participate in service learning and global engagement projects, and start college with an international perspective based on rigorous classroom and field experience." {Read full news item»}

Learn more about the arrival of Semester at Sea's 100th Voyage.

[Source: YCU in the World]: Semester at Sea (SAS) is a program which can best be described as "a floating university" where students aboard get high quality academic experiences as well as building on leadership, service and success in shaping the interdependent world. The University of Virginia has been the academic sponsor since 2006, though it has a long history of 100 [voyages] in shipboard education. Read the full article.

December 8, 2009: After monitoring conditions in the Pacific Ocean, the Institute for Shipboard Education and MV Explorer Captain Jeremy Kingston have resolved to avoid unusually high seas by postponing the ship's departure from the Hawaiian Islands until Wednesday, December 9. Shipboard activities will continue as scheduled and the ship will arrive into San Diego as planned the morning of Monday, December 14. The Institute for Shipboard Education and senior officers of Semester at Sea remain committed to the health and safety of our program participants—our foremost priority.

December 6, 2009: The Institute for Shipboard Education and the senior officers of the MV Explorer are monitoring developing weather conditions in the Pacific for possible impact on our sailing schedule from Hawaii. We do not anticipate any changes at this time. Please be aware that we will notify the shipboard community as well as parents and other constituents in the event of a departure time change.

The audio slideshows "Decades of Dynasties" and "History and Heritage" depict the fall 2009 voyage community's explorations of China and Japan respectively.

November 30, 2009: The Summer 2009 voyage of Semester at Sea marked a partnership with the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs in New York. Council representative and Bulgaria native Zornitsa Stoyanova-Yerburgh sailed a segment of the 68-day voyage—the academic theme of which focused on "Human Rights and Social Justice in the Mediterranean World"—and contributed to classroom discussions. {More»}

November 19, 2009 - [Source: UVA Today] Semester at Sea is making its 100th voyage this fall and University of Virginia librarian and composer Fred O'Bryant has written a concert march to commemorate the occasion. Listen to the march online and read more media stories about the 100th voyage of Semester at Sea.

The audio slideshow "A Kaleidoscope of Culture" shows the 100th Voyage community's experiences in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. Watch as parents taking part in the SAS Parents Trip board the ship and greet their students. In addition, participants meet with community members at a local orphanage as part of the $100 Solution international service learning project.