The Semester at Sea “Secret Sauce”

Transcript

It is so great to hear from students aboard, but now I’m so excited to toss it over to Travis. Travis is the academic dean here on the ship and an associate dean at Colorado State. He’s gonna give us more details on the exceptional, top-notch education the students are receiving here. Travis, the floor is all yours.

Thanks, Alex. I have the distinct privilege of serving as academic dean on the current voyage of “Semester at Sea.” When I’m not in this role, I’m a professor and Associate Dean of Graduate Programs in the Colorado State University College of Business. CSU is the academic partner of “Semester at Sea,” which means our students earn highly respected Colorado State University credits while at sea. We are able to pull faculty and staff from around the world who are at the top of their field, love working with students, and want to introduce those students to the world. Each semester, we offer approximately 70 upper and lower division classes across a wide variety of discipline and majors, including oceanography, global studies, history, art, business, and economics. Each of our courses has a companion in-country field class. These classes provide a time and an opportunity for faculty and students to bring the lessons they’re learning in class to a new context, and I think this is truly the secret sauce of “Semester at Sea.” In Lisbon, I was able to take my students to a large telecommunication company and we got to interact with their managers to learn about how they’re dealing with their current challenges. Later, we were able to meet with researchers who study how to have better teams in Lisbon and we wrapped up our day meeting with a coach of one of the leading soccer or football clubs in Portugal to learn about how they go about developing world-class teams. In class and in the field, our students are getting a remarkable education and they’re able to take the lessons learned in their classes and bring it to life in each of the ports and countries we’re visiting. The cross currence evening seminar series is a great example of how we’re always learning. Professors, staff, and guests share their knowledge nearly every night on topics like the former Ottoman Empire, mindfulness, and the illegal wildlife trade. Past speakers have been Nobel Prize winners, humanitarians, and heads of state, and on this voyage we’ve had diplomats, founders of multinational businesses, and documentary filmmakers present. Our students are getting a global education that will stick with them for a lifetime no matter where their ambitions take them. I am so excited to be a part of this life-changing experience and work with a dream team of colleagues who make it all possible. Back to you, Alex.

A dream team, no doubt, Travis. Thank you so much for the highlight on the world class faculty and secret sauce of a “Semester at Sea” education. Take care.