USD Selected as Semester at Sea University Partner
For years, University of San Diego students and faculty have seen the world and gotten unique educational experiences through Semester at Sea, and soon USD will become a steward of the program. This week, the Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE), the parent organization of Semester at Sea, announced USD will be the study abroad program’s next university partner.
The partnership will return the 62-year-old nonprofit to its Southern California roots and align Semester at Sea with an innovative university renowned for its commitment to social justice, global engagement, and academic excellence.
“For more than 60 years, the Institute for Shipboard Education and Semester at Sea have provided students with unparalleled opportunities to engage with and explore the world,” said USD President James T. Harris III. “As a university committed to supporting international experiences for our students and faculty, serving as university partner for Semester at Sea is in alignment with our mission and core to our identity as a global Catholic university. We are excited to carry forward the legacy of excellence established by Colorado State University as Semester at Sea’s university partnership returns to the Pacific coast.”
USD was selected as Semester at Sea’s next partner following an invite-only search initiated last year. The university, which ranks No. 2 among universities nationally for the percentage of undergraduate students who study abroad, is an international leader in education abroad and a recipient of NAFSA’s Senator Paul Simon Award for Internationalization.
Nearly 90 percent of USD undergraduates go abroad. USD is also a longtime Semester at Sea affiliate and regularly sends both students and faculty on Fall and Spring voyages. It is home to the Changemaker Hub and offers an undergraduate minor in “changemaking.”
"The Board’s decision to select the University of San Diego as our next university partner was based on our shared commitments to global education, transformational student experiences, and social impact," said Conrad Herrmann, Chair of the ISE Board of Trustees.
While the inaugural USD-backed voyage will not set sail until Fall 2028, teams from ISE and USD are collaborating on a partnership agreement now. Due to the 18-month planning horizon required for Semester at Sea’s multi-continent itineraries, ISE and USD leaders will begin voyage preparations later this year.