All Hands on Deck
The Campaign for Semester at Sea
Greetings Semester at Sea Alumni and Friends,
We hope this message finds you safe, happy, and healthy during this time of global upheaval.
I am proud and excited to launch our first-ever comprehensive fundraising campaign, All Hands on Deck — The Campaign for Semester at Sea. The success of the All Hands on Deck campaign will ensure the strength of our endowment, reinforce programmatic support for our global education curriculum, and contribute to ongoing scholarship initiatives. As the name of the campaign suggests, we will need all of our amazing network of Semester at Sea alumni, friends, and family during this campaign. Please join us to ensure that our program remains strong and ready to help shape future generations of global citizens.
Like other institutions around the world, Semester at Sea finds itself in a position to step back and evaluate the health and sustainability of our global learning model. Fortunately, the long-term outlook of our organization is strong — enrollments for future voyages are high, our staff remains wholeheartedly committed, and our academic partner, Colorado State University, has been stalwart in its support during this turbulent time.
The most important factor that gives me confidence in the future of Semester at Sea, however, is our passionate and engaged alumni base. You, who have sailed and understand the importance and impact of our comparative study abroad model, give me optimism as we push forward into a world with new challenges, as well as promising opportunities. We hope you will join us in our All Hands on Deck campaign, and I thank you for your support of Semester at Sea.
With gratitude and best wishes,
SCOTT MARSHALL, PH.D.
President & Chief Executive Officer
Campaign Priorities
In support of the campaign priorities listed above, our primary goal is to raise new funds for need-based and merit scholarships so that all qualified students who want to experience Semester at Sea are able to do so. We also are committed to doubling Semester at Sea’s endowment from $2.8 million to $6 million to ensure that the program serves future generations. During these unprecedented times, we recognize the immediate need for unrestricted support in order to weather any unexpected challenges. Finally, support for faculty and staff and programmatic enhancements will allow us to provide unparalleled educational experiences.
Donor Profile: Nancy Tietge
When a close friend shared her son’s experiences from his Semester at Sea voyage – and the incredible bond he formed with many of the adult passengers known as Lifelong Learners – Nancy Tietge’s interest in the program was piqued.
She quickly began to check off other positives about this possible adventure. Raised in Newport Beach, California, Tietge loved the ocean. “I also love being around energetic, enthusiastic college students and being intellectually challenged. And spending five or six days rather than an hour in each port? This was the perfect fit.”
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Donor Profile: Cindy Zomchek & Jim Shirley
For Cindy Zomchek and Jim Shirley, Semester at Sea (SAS) represents more than a voyage or vacation cruise. It has been and continues to be a way of life and a family affair.
Zomchek initially learned about SAS when she was a resident hall director at the University of San Francisco in 1984. “I went to a regional conference and overheard two people talking about this program that offered a voyage around the world, and I asked them to tell me more. My interest was piqued, so I applied the next year, and got hired as a resident director for the Fall 1986 Voyage.”
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Donor Profile: Chris & Savannah Sinfield
In the fall of 1989, Chris Sinfield embarked on his maiden voyage with Semester at Sea. “We sailed out of Vancouver, British Columbia direct to Kobe, Japan. It was a start to an incredible journey around the world and we had such a wonderful group of students and faculty.”
The program’s structure fit Chris’ academic needs. The value of Semester at Sea is that it exposes students to an incredible journey of exploring different cultures around the world. When you’re on the ship, you learn about each country you’ll be visiting and when you get to port you then put to use what you learned on the ship. You learn about so many different cultures, but more importantly, the people you meet on a day-to-day basis allows for so many life lessons that you can’t replicate in a normal college setting. The world is your campus and there is not a better way to see the world than from your home which is a floating university.”
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