On October 25, 300 alumni, family, and friends of Semester at Sea attended our sold-out East Coast 50th anniversary celebration in New York City. October 22 marked exactly 50 years since the first voyage of Semester at Sea, then known as the University of the Seven Seas, set sail from New York Harbor on its first voyage around the world.
Semester at Sea alumnus Rich Wolf (Fall 1980) graciously hosted the event at his popular nightclub LAVO. Alumni of all ages from voyages spanning 1964 to Summer 2013 enjoyed reconnecting with voyage friends, making new SAS connections, dressing up in a photo booth, and watching slides from the inaugural voyage in 1963.
Alumni are warmly greeted as they enter LAVO as the East Coast SAS 50th Anniversary party gets underway.The entire nightclub was decorated for the 50th anniversary including cupcakes, table covers, pins, balloons, and more. As a fundraising promotion for the 50th, SAS gave alumni a chance to win a cabin on one of the upcoming Enrichment Voyages.The 50th Anniversary event gave many alumni the chance to reconnect and remember how much of an impact their voyage had on their lives.Alumnus David Miller Engel (Fall & Spring 1976) shows his original passport photo.SAS President Les McCabe and former president John Tymitz sign an oversized map that has all of the ports Semester at Sea has visited over the last 50 years.A photo booth was set up for alumni to have their picture taken with fellow shipmates.Alumnus Rich Wolf (Fall 1980) and owner of LAVO nightclub speaks to the crowd about how Semester at Sea impacted his life.Former Chief Academic Officer Max Brandt (middle) stops to take a photo with fellow alumni.President Les McCabe addresses the crowd, giving insight into the last 50 years of shipboard education while setting direction for the next 50 years.Alumni Chandra Corbett (Fall 1998), Gena Tayman (Fall 1998), Janifer Clayton (Fall 1998), and Marcia Hegeman (Fall 1971) take a moment to pose for a photo while talking about their own SAS experiences.Alumni from all generations signed the oversized 50th Anniversary map with notes next to their favorite ports and reflections about what their experience meant to them.Brandon Fuhrmann (Spring 2002) celebrated when he got the lucky key that opened the lock box containing one cabin on an upcoming Enrichment Voyage.
West Coast Celebration for the 50th Anniversary!
Join us March 22, 2014 at the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles as we commemorate the return of Semester at Sea’s inaugural voyage. Registration opens February 3. Stay tuned for more details here.
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