Curious about what Semester at Sea was like 10, 20, or even 50 years ago? Colorado State University continues its effort to build out the digital collection of the Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE) records dating back to as early as 1926.
The Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE) is a non-profit organization offering study abroad education programs and academic courses at the baccalaureate level while aboard a cruise vessel. ISE serves students from academic institutions throughout the world through its hallmark Semester at Sea program. The program was originally called University of the Seven Seas or World Campus Afloat. In 2016 Colorado State University became the lead academic partner for Semester at Sea.
The bulk of this digital collection comprises four exciting series. Series 1 contains yearbooks, directories, shipboard newspapers such as The Helm, the Shipmates newsletter, and other publications pertaining to student activities and promotional materials for the program.
Series 2 consists primarily of materials relating to the governance of the program. Also included are a small cache of papers collected by student Kevan M. Snyder during her 1969 and 1972 voyages, and a group of files gathered by instructor Robert Loeffelbein from voyages from the early 1960s through 1983.
Series 3 includes academic advisories that were issued to all students on each voyage, files related to ISE founder C. Y. Tung, and promotional materials.
Series 4 is the latest series in the archive and is actively being built out. Series 4 will include memorabilia, photos, and highlights of a Semester at Sea board game called SASopoly. Also of note are seven vinyl records that were issued as mementos of voyages taking place between 1969 and 1975, when Chapman College in Orange, California was the primary academic sponsor.
Explore CSU’s Institute for Shipboard Education records here.
