UNH Student Heather Muir Sails Around The World On Semester At Sea

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DURHAM, NH (05/11/2012)(readMedia)-- Heather Muir of Niantic is one of 10 University of New Hampshire students among nearly 570 students that sailed this spring with Semester at Sea (SAS), the U.S. shipboard program for study abroad.

It is a 105 day voyage to 12 countries  around the globe.  This 108th voyage of Semester at Sea departed Nassau, The Bahamas on January 19 and has since traveled to Dominica, Brazil, Ghana, South Africa, Mauritius, India, Singapore, Vietnam, China, Japan, and Hawaii.  The voyage ended in San Diego, Calif. on May 2.

SAS students use the world as a classroom, studying on a ship fitted with classrooms, a computer lab, and even the world's largest floating library.  In each port city, students travel alongside their professors to locations and destinations that directly relate to course material.  SAS students get the unique opportunity to see the world from a floating campus while earning college credit from their courses on the ship.

"It's exceeded my expectations," Heather Muir said, reflecting on the past 3 months of Semester at Sea.  "I loved it and honestly it's going to be one of the best experiences of my entire life."

Semester at Sea is a premier global study abroad program based in the United States.  Since it began in 1963, more than 45,000 college students and lifelong learners have participated in the program, which travels more than 60,000 nautical miles around the world each year.  During its 45 year history, Semester at Sea has made 99 voyages and has achieved a number of significant milestones, including groundbreaking visits to countries such as the former Soviet Union, China, Vietnam, Cuba, and Myanmar. Participants have met with prominent leaders including Fidel Castro, Anwar Sadat, Indira Ghandi, Mikhail Gorbachev, Corazon Aquino, Sidi Mohammed, Mother Teresa, Bishop Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela.