In October 2023, we launched a fundraising initiative for our 60th Anniversary Access Fund, to raise $600,000 by December 31, 2023. This fund provides scholarships and resources, including travel and field programs, for SAS students in need of financial support. With these funds, we can help increase access to SAS voyages for students from all walks of life. Thanks to the generous support of our donors, we are thrilled to announce that we have already raised close to just under $400,000 towards this goal!
Giving Tuesday was a particularly successful day, with donations totaling $150,000 from more than 120 donors! To say we are thrilled with these results would be an understatement. We are also immensely grateful to the Chapman Family, longstanding supporters of our organization, who generously contributed $60,000 to the fund. As always, it is heartwarming to see the SAS community come together to support this important cause as we grow our ability to provide financial support to as many students as possible.
While we are still working towards our $600,000 goal for the Access Fund, we are also focused on raising $1.5 million for our Annual Fund by the end of May. Currently, we are $700,000 short of this goal. Our Annual Fund is critically important as it allows our program to offer a unique educational experience to a diverse range of students, improves the program’s quality, takes care of our people, and ensures long-term sustainability. This fund also allows us flexibility when we experience the unexpected, such as what we experienced on the FA23 voyage and numerous other voyages in our 60-year history.
We want to express our deep gratitude to everyone who has supported Semester at Sea this year, especially those who have been loyal supporters over many years. Your contributions significantly and positively impact our voyagers and help us fulfill our mission of support providing transformative experiences for students from all backgrounds.
It is also not too late to renew your gift or send us your very first donation. Each donation is special to us – thank you for considering a one-time or ongoing gift to help us support “journeys of discovery that spark bold solutions to global challenges!”
