Episode 39: Learn, Experience, Compare, Integrate: Cultivating Global Mindsets feat. Scott Marshall, President and CEO, Institute for Shipboard Education & Semester at Sea

What is Global Citizenship? Global Citizens are members of a world community who contribute to and respect the world's values, practices, and cultures. Study abroad programs provide excellent opportunities for young adults to engage with other cultures and develop a more global worldview. Even programs that last only two weeks can have a meaningful impact on an individual’s cultural fluency.

Scott Marshall, President and CEO of the Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE), joins podcast host Kiran Kodithala on this episode of Illuminate Higher Education. ISE is the nonprofit organization that administers the Semester at Sea program, a unique and transformative study abroad program for college students and lifelong learners.

Scott marks his college semester abroad in Japan as the transformative experience that started him on the intellectual journey of trying to understand “culture.” This experience, combined with his commitment to experiential learning, led him to serve as leader of a study abroad program in Qatar and to his role with ISE today.

For a brief overview of their conversation, read the Q&A below. Then, listen to the full episode for a more detailed discussion about the life-changing impacts of studying abroad.

Q: What is the importance of studying abroad?

There are three key benefits to participating in a study abroad program. First, the American Association of Colleges and Universities considers study abroad one of the high-impact practices in higher education, along with first-year seminars, undergraduate research, writing-intensive courses, and more. According to the AAC&U, study abroad experience can “help students explore cultures, life experiences, and worldviews different from their own. These studies—which may address US diversity, world cultures, or both—often explore ‘difficult differences’ such as racial, ethnic, and gender inequality, or continuing struggles around the globe for human rights, freedom, and power.”

Second, study abroad has numerous positive impacts on students. Broad-scale sample surveys have shown that retention rates for students who study abroad are significantly greater than their counterparts. By encouraging study abroad, colleges are engaging students in deep learning experiences that help keep them on the path to a degree. This impact is even more significant for at-risk or underrepresented students.

Lastly, we acknowledge that the world is delicate and divisive in many ways. Studying abroad can help bridge those divides. In addition to anecdotal evidence from thousands of alumni, we have conducted pre- and post-voyage assessments that show marked improvements in feelings of empathy, cultural awareness, knowledge of global issues, and a desire for continued education and lifelong learning.

Q: How does Semester at Sea work?

The Institute for Shipboard Education is the nonprofit organization that runs the Semester at Sea program. The program has been around for nearly 58 years. Currently, Colorado State University is our academic partner. This partnership allows us to provide a robust, high-quality academic experience. All the courses we offer are CSU classes that have gone through the governance process and earn transferable credits.

As for the onboard experience, we focus on global comparative learning, so every voyage stops in 8-10 countries in one semester. Each visit lasts 4-6 days, long enough to explore and get a sense of the nuances of the culture—politics, food, sights, sounds. Our students are greeted by diplomats that provide political briefings. In between voyages, students come together as a community to reflect on their experiences, attend classes, and take advantage of other aspects of “campus life” like clubs, intramural sports leagues, religious services, and more.

Q: How do you cope with limited technologies while at sea?

While at sea, we have access to satellite internet, but it can be limited and unpredictable. This means we cannot rely on many traditional cloud-based technologies. To overcome this challenge, we have designed a robust onboard intranet for basic needs like file sharing and printing. It also allows students to access our learning management system, which is pre-loaded with course content and hosted on local servers onboard. We communicate via “Seamail.”

While the lack of connectivity has its disadvantages, it allows students to engage in non-digital hobbies regularly. Board game clubs, improv groups, and other pastimes help forge the community bonds that make Semester at Sea such a transformative experience.

Listen to the full podcast episode for all the details.

After you listen, connect with Scott Marshall on LinkedIn or Twitter @ScottM_Portland. Learn more about the Institute for Shipboard Education and Semester at Sea by visiting SemesteratSea.org and following on Twitter @SemesteratSea.

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