For many across the globe, Giving Tuesday is an opportunity to show support for the organizations and causes that mean the most to them. It’s a chance to connect their generosity with programs doing work that transforms the lives of others. It’s a movement to put vital financial resources behind the initiatives that make a global impact. For those whose lives have been changed forever by the Semester at Sea experience, what better time than Giving Tuesday is there, then, to give SAS a year-end boost to help propel its mission?
For Christopher Foreman, Dotty Sonnemaker, and Neil Moriarty – all substantial match donors for Semester at Sea’s Giving Tuesday campaign this year, meaning they have committed funds to match gifts from the larger community, essentially doubling the impact of every dollar contributed on Giving Tuesday, the importance of giving back to SAS rings especially true. In strong alignment with their individual inspirations to “go above and beyond” for the program that has given them each so much, this year’s theme for Giving Tuesday is “Let’s Go Beyond.”
Christopher Foreman, who first sailed with Semester at Sea as a sophomore during the Spring 1986 voyage, is one such match donor. The SAS experience made a lasting impact on Christopher, and he returned to the program in Spring 2014 as a Lifelong Learner, this time accompanied by his wife and two children. Over the years, he has remained deeply involved with SAS beyond his voyages, serving on the Board of Trustees across two separate terms for a combined total of 16 years of service. His continued engagement reflects a longstanding personal commitment to the transformational power of SAS.
When asked what inspires him to give back to Semester at Sea with a generous match gift for Giving Tuesday this year, Christopher shared that this action stems from a deep belief in the life-changing nature of the program – and a desire to ensure that others have access to the same opportunity he did. “I’m a big supporter of the transformational experience that I personally had while I participated in the program.” He also shared that his own voyage had a profound personal impact and that witnessing the long-term influence of the experience on others reinforced his commitment.
Christopher emphasized that many SAS students rely on financial support to participate and that philanthropic giving makes those experiences possible. “My goal is to challenge this community and get people to really step up for Giving Tuesday,” he said. He doesn’t believe the focus should be on the amount, however: “I want everyone in this community to be encouraged to give $5 if they can, or $50, or $500. The main thing is that everyone in the community gives what they can.”
Dotty Sonnemaker, another generous match donor going “beyond” for Giving Tuesday this year, joined Semester at Sea as a Lifelong Learner on the Fall 2023 voyage at age 60 – a milestone she shared with both the MV World Odyssey ship and the SAS program, which were also celebrating their 60th anniversaries that year. She embarked on the adventure with enthusiastic support from her daughter, Tara Brant, who had sailed with SAS in Spring 2015. Though Dotty had had exposure to global travel prior to her SAS voyage through international work trips and family travel with her two children, her decision to sail was motivated by her strong desire to broaden her horizons in a community environment focused on global experiential education.
For Dotty, giving to SAS for Giving Tuesday is a way to pay her experience forward to future generations, especially those who may need a hand to get on the ship. By giving back, she helps ensure that “everybody gets a chance to go on SAS, with whatever their circumstances are,” she said. For Dotty – echoing Christopher’s sentiments – it’s not about whether someone gives a dollar or one hundred dollars on Giving Tuesday. “It’s about creating the desire to help others,” she said. “Everybody’s story is different, but what I like is helping to create a heart for giving and for understanding others when people are immersed in a college environment. And that is what Semester at Sea is all about.”
Another Giving Tuesday match donor – Neil Moriarty – first learned about Semester at Sea while attending the University of Massachusetts (UMass). After spending three summers working in Alaska, Neil had developed a strong travel bug and took a year off following a successful summer of work to travel around Europe. He eventually sailed on the Spring 1986 voyage. Neil describes the experience as “one of the best of his life” and credits SAS with helping to widen his perspective, deepening his understanding of people globally, and shaping his approach to interpersonal and business relationships throughout his career.
As a match donor this year, Neil shared that by giving back to SAS and helping even “one other individual” to experience something transformative can have a far-reaching impact, explaining, “You have the potential to change one life forever, and if you do that, you end up impacting all of the people with whom they impact. So, the multiplier effect in giving back to Semester at Sea can be substantial.” Neil emphasized the profound meaning giving to Semester at Sea can hold, and he encouraged everyone to consider giving this year for Giving Tuesday, no matter the contribution.
For our featured matching donors, the real power of giving on Giving Tuesday is in the collective show of support. Dotty emphasized the importance of visibility and example, sharing that generosity is contagious and that by seeing others share what they have – whether that’s a dollar or a skill – more people will be inspired to do the same. “It’s more about the participation, and it’s the backing of the program that is essential, more than it is ever the dollar amount,” she said.
Christopher added, “I would like to challenge our SAS community to spread the word ahead of this Giving Tuesday. I want to encourage others who are giving to Semester at Sea to reach out to their friends, their family, and their employers (if they have matching gifts), and ask them to do the same. Through word of mouth and through a collective challenge, I think we can make a major impact this year.”
This Giving Tuesday, we’d like to wholeheartedly thank our generous matching donors for “going beyond” the call to give back – inspiring us each to give what we can to the program that means so much to all of us, no matter the dollar amount. Will you join us this year to “go beyond” for SAS on Giving Tuesday?
Join Semester at Sea for Giving Tuesday on December 2, 2025, for an inspiring global day of generosity and impact. As part of our Semester at Sea community, you can help lead the way on this worldwide day of giving.
This year, Semester at Sea invites you to join us as we go beyond together. Your generosity helps open the world to students, deepen cultural perspectives, and fuel life-changing educational experiences across the seas.
Mark your calendar and stay tuned, exciting matches, challenges, and ways to make your gift go even further are coming your way soon!
Want to make your gift early? Please head to this page to do so!
