Parents Council Chairs Give Advice for Future Parents of SAS Participants

Watching the MV Explorer campus sail far into the distance, with your child aboard, is an emotional experience for parents. Dwight and Jane Allison, founders of the Semester at Sea Parents Council, know the feeling all too well. The image describes a memory from 2005 when their oldest son, Dewey, sailed with Semester at Sea from Vancouver, B.C. Even five years later it brings back a flood of emotion for the parents, who have since sailed on Semester at Sea as participants.

Since that time, the Allison family has participated in four more voyages, five in total. Dewey sailed in Summer 05, younger son Matt in Spring 07 and Summer 09, and Dwight and Jane sailed as Lifelong Learners in Fall 06. After returning from the fall voyage, they were so impressed they volunteered to help Semester at Sea in any way they could. That offer led to the formation in 2007 of the Semester at Sea Parents Council, which they have chaired since its inception.

Parents Council members serve as a source of information about Semester at Sea for parents of prospective students. Jane notes, "Parents are very involved in both making the initial decision to participate and then in providing support as their children prepare for the voyage. They have questions and we can provide the answers."

In addition to providing information to parents, the Council also serves as a communication link to Semester at Sea. Dwight cites two examples of recommendations made by the Council. "For years, parents got together on their own and organized a gathering the night before the ship arrives. Typically several hundred parents would participate. The Council recommended that Semester at Sea sponsor the event and provide content." The result is a Voyage Welcome Home Celebration that features information on the debarkation process, tips on how to help returning voyagers adjust to "normal" life, and a voyage video.

Another Council recommendation involved providing information to parents about the current voyage. According to Dwight, for years, parents had used various message boards to share news about the ongoing voyage. The information was second hand and sometimes inaccurate. The Council recommended that Semester at Sea provide an official voyage blog to fill the gap. They listened and now parents receive photo, video and written information via the web throughout the voyage.

Jane has some advice for parents with regard to communication. "Don't over communicate. Remember that this is your child's journey. Let them spread their wings and develop as individuals."

As Council members, Dwight and Jane frequently attend both pre-voyage and welcome home parent events. In formal and informal talks they stress the range of emotions that both parents and students will experience. Dwight says, "At the send-off, the parents are crying and the students are happy, excited and waving good bye. At the homecoming, the parents are excited and waving and the kids are in tears as they leave the ship that has been their home for the past 15 weeks."

Jane adds that the emotion remains even when your child is not on board. "The memory and the feelings are so strong that I still cry every time the ship pulls away and again when it returns."

The Allisons joined the Spring 2010 Voyage in Cape Town and will disembark in Fort Lauderdale on May 5 along with their fellow voyagers. Don't be surprised to see a tear or two in their eyes.

For more information on the SAS Parents Council and to see additional resources for parents, please see our Parents section.