When Tony Fiorini embarked on his Semester at Sea journey as a student on the Fall 1994 Voyage, he quickly recognized the program’s profound impact on his future. Then a junior at the University of Pittsburgh, Tony aspired to be a photographer but was uncertain about the long-term viability of the career. Onboard, he enrolled in a Black & White photography class taught by Emily Hart-Roberts, a professional photojournalist. Meeting Professor Hart-Roberts was a turning point—she proved that making a career in photography was possible. Encouraged by her support, Tony joined the voyage’s newspaper and yearbook teams, further honing his skills and building confidence. By the time the voyage ended, his path was clear: he would pursue photography professionally—a decision that has shaped his career ever since.
Semester at Sea also introduced Tony to international travel. Having grown up in a small town in central Pennsylvania, his first-ever international flight was the one that took him from the U.S. to Vancouver to board the ship. Throughout the voyage, he experienced life-changing moments—staying with a Japanese family in a homestay within his first few days, traveling through post-war Vietnam, visiting the pyramids of Egypt, and being rerouted from India to Sri Lanka, gaining a deeper understanding of global complexities. “Semester at Sea offers a comparative perspective that’s just not possible any other way,” Tony reflected.
His experiences left a lasting impression, shaping his appreciation for global perspectives and inspiring the way he introduces his own children to the world. “After I returned from SAS, I would have these moments where I’d think about how I’m here on the East Coast of the U.S., but at the same time, people in Japan, India, and all over the world are living completely different lives,” he said. “It was so important to see how others live, and now I instill that in my own kids.”
The impact of Semester at Sea was so profound that, upon returning home, Tony made an immediate commitment to give back. In 1995, he began making monthly donations to the program, recognizing that even small contributions add up over time. “Even if you’re not making much right after college, giving just a little each month is an easy way to support something that means so much,” he said. Now, 30 years and nearly 360 monthly donations later, Tony remains one of Semester at Sea’s longest-standing monthly donors.
In Spring 2004, Tony had the opportunity to return to Semester at Sea as the staff photographer, leaving his job at the Reading Eagle, a major Pennsylvania newspaper, to take on the role. This time, he led shipboard photography efforts, mentored student photographers, and supported the yearbook team. He later sailed on shorter seminar voyages in 2005–2006 and 2006–2007, capturing the essence of the experience through his lens. With each voyage, Tony expanded both his worldview and his career—one shipboard community and one port at a time.
Today, Tony lives in Connecticut with his wife, who is a professor and chair of Yale University’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, and their two children, Caroline and Patrick. Both in secondary school, his kids have inherited his love for international travel, with the family recently visiting Ireland and Italy. Tony now works as a freelance photographer for Yale and is planning a family trip to Germany. He also hopes his children will one day sail with Semester at Sea. “Semester at Sea is special because it allows you to see so much in person,” he said. “Experiencing something firsthand makes all the difference.”
We are deeply grateful to Tony for his decades of generosity and his contributions as a photographer on multiple voyages. To learn more about Tony and his work, visit his website here. If you’re inspired to set up a monthly donation to Semester at Sea, learn more here.
