Professor heads study abroad program at sea

By Tina Nazerian     12/3/13 6:00pm

He's on a boat. In fact, he's the dean of the boat. Professor of kinesiology Nick Iammarino has been sailing the high seas as the executive dean of Semester at Sea, a nontraditional study abroad program.

Run by the nonprofit organization Institute for Shipboard Education, Semester at Sea focuses on giving students a global education, usually offering a fall and spring voyage lasting about 100 days. 

"It also offers a shorter summer voyage of 67 days that is generally in the Mediterranean," Iammarino said. "However, this fall and in the fall of 2012, the SAS voyage decided to do an Atlantic Exploration and sail the perimeter of the Atlantic Ocean."

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The SAS website states that students choose the program to have a greater understanding of the world, cultural differences, multiple perspectives and their own culture. 

Additionally, the website states that students pick the program to increase their self-confidence and autonomy, flexibility, acceptance of others, their own opinions and their ability to live in a close community. 

"Semester at Sea has always been focused on global education," Iammarino said. "As such, its mission is different than these other traditional study abroad programs."

The current voyage has approximately 575 students, 40 faculty members, 31 staff members and about 200 crew members, Iammarino said.

According to Iammarino, students are typically juniors and represent 247 colleges and universities, with 94 percent from the United States and the remaining 6 percent from 18 other countries.

Destinations change every semester but are typically countries and ports that highlight the world's largest cultures, Iammarino said. 

This semester, the MV Explorer has visited London, England; Saint Petersburg, Russia; Hamburg, Germany; Antwerp, Belgium; Le Havre, France; Dublin, Ireland; Lisbon, Portugal; Cadiz, Spain; Casablanca, Morocco; Accra, Ghana; Cape Town, South Africa; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Salvador, Brazil; Havana, Cuba; and Freeport, Bahamas before arriving home to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Dec. 16, Iammarino said. 

 "This is the first time in many years that the ship and program will call on Havana, Cuba," Iammarino said. 

Students can choose from more than 100 courses taught aboard the ship in a wide variety of disciplines, including history, sociology, environmental science, astronomy, psychology, business and public health, Iammarino said.

Iammarino said he first became involved with SAS in 1996, when he was selected for a faculty position aboard the old ship, the SS Universe Explorer.

"That voyage took us around the world," Iammarino said. "As an avid traveler and one who is very interested in international education, this was a perfect fit for me."

In 2008, SAS President Les McCabe visited Houston and asked Iammarino whether he would consider sailing as the executive dean for fall 2009, SAS's 100th voyage, according to Iammarino.

"Given my love for and involvement in this organization and my belief that we are preparing global leaders through global education .... I am now again serving as executive dean for the 50th anniversary voyage of the program," Iammarino said.

According to Director of Study Abroad Partnerships Beata Loch, Semester at Sea is not among the programs selected for Rice undergraduates. 

"Students wishing to participate would need to take a semester leave from the university to participate," Loch said. 

Duncan College senior Leah Fried, a current Semester at Sea participant, said she wanted to travel to multiple places and learn about the world. 

"Semester at Sea definitely does that," Fried said. "It's the only program where you go to so many countries and have such a close community, since you're all living on a ship together and can't really go anywhere." 

Martel College junior Yutian He, who sailed during summer 2013, said her experience at SAS was life-changing.

"I am still reflecting on the ways the trip has changed my perspectives," He said. "I learned to always expect the unexpected and that no plan is often the best plan when one travels."

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