For John and Jill Spiegleman and their two children, Sam and Sophia, Semester at Sea is much more than just a global educational experience–it’s now set in stone as a family legacy. Spanning more than three decades and three separate voyages–all sailed in the spring–John in 1989, Sam in 2023, and Sophia in 2025–the program has become a shared thread of connection for the family–one that has now inspired them to give back in an immensely meaningful and impactful way.
Inspired by the lasting impact Semester at Sea has had on each of their lives, the Spieglemans recently established the Spiegleman Family Scholarship, an annual $40,000 award designed to help future voyagers experience the full richness of the program–without substantial financial constraints.
Awarded to one student each spring voyage, the Spiegleman Family Scholarship covers full tuition and fees and also includes an additional amount to support shipboard life, field programs, and in-country travel, all at the scholarship recipient’s discretion. “To experience the SAS program fully, we wanted the recipient to be able to do that without too many constraints,” John said. “And that’s why we wanted this award to go above just tuition and fees–we want the scholarship recipients to be able to fully experience everything, both on and off the ship, during their voyage.”
From Greenwood Village, Colorado, the Spiegleman family has always valued travel, and they’ve traveled extensively together across the U.S., Europe, Asia, and beyond. But Semester at Sea offered each of them something different. “The program really taught me a different way to travel, but more importantly, a different way to think,” John said. “After your voyage, you focus on things in the world through a whole new lens…and Jill and I wanted our kids to experience this, too.”
Sam and Sophia both expressed similar ideas about the SAS program after completing their voyages and about the importance of paying this experience forward whenever possible. “If we can allow one kid to go on SAS that couldn’t otherwise go, then we’ve accomplished our goal,” Sam said. “This program has had such a meaningful impact on all of our lives. If everyone could have the experience and education we got through Semester at Sea, I think the world would be a much better place.”
For Sophia, the program has also opened new paths and life possibilities. “SAS has made me want to go even further in my travels and now try to live abroad,” she said. “I’m currently applying to a Fulbright scholarship to go teach English abroad in Norway, and doing Semester at Sea has really pushed me to want to do that.”
In Sam’s view, it’s also the relational value of the program that stands out against other travel and educational experiences he has been a part of. “The comparative nature of what Semester at Sea brings–just by going to so many countries in a short span of time–is something you can’t replicate. It gives you experiences that would be almost impossible to get if you were traveling by yourself.”
It was transformative experiences like these that shaped the family’s desire to establish a scholarship that enables students not only to board the ship, but also to thrive once they’re on it.
John’s wife, Jill, also played a key role in shaping the family’s values around education and giving. A longtime educator, Jill deeply understands the power of experiential learning. “She was one of the impetuses of doing this, having seen the impact on the kids and me,” John said. “Jill has said she’s seen positive changes in each of us from the mindset SAS instills.”
As a whole, the Spiegleman Family Scholarship is rooted in a shared belief that global education should be accessible, no matter one’s circumstances. “People from all backgrounds should have this experience,” Sam said. “But we know that’s just not always the reality, and so, because we have the opportunity to do so as a family, we want to give this experience to someone else.”
And, the Spiegleman family encourages all SAS alumni to contribute to these efforts; even small contributions matter. “Most people I know who’ve gone on Semester at Sea say it’s the greatest thing they’ve ever done,” Sam said. “And that’s reason enough to give. And we [as recent voyagers] understand how much things cost in-country. We know exactly where the money’s going and what it’s used for–so giving even just a small part of that can help, and it adds up quickly, if we all do it as recent alumni.”
John hopes others will continue to feel inspired to give back to SAS at any level. “Five dollars a month–that’s a Starbucks,” he said. “To skip one Starbucks a month to help somebody else have one of the best experiences of their life? I don’t know how to impress upon people enough that no amount is too little, and the impact can still be huge.”
Looking back on the multi-generational effect of Semester at Sea on his whole family, John reflected that giving back now is a no-brainer. “It’s one of the greatest things I’ve ever done,” he said. “To now be able to give that to somebody who couldn’t otherwise do it–who might not even consider it without something like this scholarship–it’s just awesome.”
And the potential ripple effect of that giving, John added, is immeasurable. “It’s about giving somebody the ability–the desire–to want more: a more fulfilling life; a more fulfilling existence,” he said. “Semester at Sea makes you more curious. More adventurous. And I think that’s just great.”
