Making an Impact In My Country and World

Transcript

Let’s hand it over to Thompson, a STEM double major who’s excited for this journey to help him identify his passions and uncover opportunities to create positive change in the world and in his home country. Thompson, over to you.

Thanks, Alex. I decided to sail on “Semester at Sea” because I wanted to positively contribute to change my community in Brazil. I knew that “Semester at Sea” would help me understand my place in an ever changing world. “Semester at Sea” offers a myriad of learning opportunities through interactive classes while at sea or through in-port experiences that expand cultural knowledge and enhance intercultural communication. Here, I explore several areas of study that go beyond my major. From world religions to global environmental politics to abnormal psychology, these classes help me understand the issues we face in the world through an educational lens that blends my academic interests. “Semester at Sea” is unique because of its teaching to port approach, which connects what we are learning to the real world, preparing students to develop a multicultural understanding of society. Our curriculum is infused with an environmental perspective through Blue World, one of the three areas covered in global studies, a course we all take together. In the face of climate change, promoting an understanding of sustainability is crucial to fostering impactful actions to protect our planet. “Semester at Sea” is helping all of us pursue both solutions to global challenges. For me, this was brought home in my global environmental politics class, where we visited three organizations in Athens that are pursuing sustainability solutions by rescuing harmed sea turtles, recycling Marion plastic, and advising businesses on sustainable development. If you are inquisitive, “Semester at Sea” is the best fit for you. It will teach you to look beyond academics and appreciate importance of global diversity. You will leave the program well-equipped to tackle global issues. “Semester at Sea” has motivated me to fight for the universal access to education I dream Brazil will have in their near future. That’s my story. Back to you, Alex!

Thompson, thank you tremendously for sharing your story and ambitions with us. The extent to which you’re able to apply your learnings to real life experiences is endlessly valuable. It is so inspiring to watch you acknowledge and strive to resolve these global challenges. Take care.