Montclair Student Sails the World with Semester at Sea and UN-linked Study Abroad
With a $25,000 C.Y. Tung Scholarship, Pamela Hernandez turned her love of languages into a life‑changing Semester at Sea experience
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Pamela Hernandez grew up in Passaic, New Jersey, never having seen the ocean. Now she has crossed it to 12 countries as a C.Y. Tung Scholar on the Semester at Sea study abroad program, living on a ship and facilitating conversations on human rights and education across Europe, Asia and Africa.
Over four months, Hernandez lived and learned at sea, meeting with local leaders through a United Nations‑connected dialogue program – an experience she says changed how she sees both the world and her own future.
Montclair’s study abroad and international programs, including Semester at Sea, help students like Pamela gain global experience and bring those insights back to campus.
First Time Seeing the Ocean – and Living on It
Hernandez remembers her first sight of the ship – and of the ocean itself – when she boarded in IJmuiden, the Netherlands.
“I’d never been on a ship, and it was so huge,” she said. “I just stared at it for a good minute thinking, ‘Oh my God, I’m going to be living here for the next four months.’”
On board, she took classes at sea, then stepped into cities and communities around the world, connecting what she learned in class to the people and places she was visiting.
Four Months, 13+ Scholarship Applications – and a Life‑Changing Email
The Semester at Sea voyage comes with a substantial price tag, covering tuition, housing and travel while the ship serves as a floating campus. To make it possible, Hernandez spent about four months applying for more than 13 scholarships, ultimately winning the highly competitive $25,000 C.Y. Tung Scholarship, which supports students engaged with Chinese language and Chinese studies, as well as U.S.–China relations.
Her application told the story of a first‑generation Mexican American student whose first language was Spanish, who struggled with English as a child, and later added Korean and Mandarin at Montclair – tying her multilingual journey to a commitment to cross‑cultural understanding and global storytelling as a double major in Film & Television and Business Administration, with a minor in Asian Languages.
She learned she had won the scholarship while at work as an intern in Broadcast Media Operations on campus. “That was the best news of my life.”
With the award secured, everything accelerated. “I only had two months to prepare for the voyage, and you don’t know how to prepare because of how extensive it is,” she says.
UN Dialogue Training: Practicing Difficult Conversations on Human Rights and Education
On top of classes, Hernandez was selected for a United Nations‑connected dialogue program that ran alongside the voyage, part of Semester at Sea’s efforts to build global conversation skills.
Training prior to the trip prepared students to facilitate dialogue on issues such as human rights, food security and education. Once the ship reached each port, the cohort met with local leaders.
In India, discussions around women’s education felt especially personal, and Hernandez noticed how often her opinions as a young woman were brushed aside, reinforcing her desire to advocate for girls’ access to schooling.
Turning 12 Ports into a Global Classroom Through Study Abroad
On her Semester at Sea itinerary, Hernandez studied abroad in Amsterdam, Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Ghana, South Africa, Mauritius, Hong Kong, Vietnam, India, Cambodia and Thailand. In port, students explored cities and communities, sometimes on their own and sometimes through “in‑port” class days, where professors designed activities that connected course content to local realities.
Those experiences helped Hernandez see how issues like education, gender equity and media representation look different around the world – and how they intersect.
Living in the Moment – and Bringing Stories Back to Montclair
Hernandez is still processing the impact of the voyage.
“One of the biggest takeaways was to just live in the moment because I am such a perfectionist, and when I travel – especially when it comes to safety – I want to know where I’m going, who I’m going with, where I’m staying,” she says.
With no internet during long stretches at sea and last‑minute itinerary changes – like diverting from France to Portugal due to protests – she had to loosen her grip and trust the journey.
“As a first-generation student, I can’t really have control over my entire life,” Hernandez said. “I just have to take risks and be spontaneous at what I’m doing. And so that really helps set my mindset to what I want to do.”
On track to graduate in 2027, Hernandez says the experience clarified her purpose as an aspiring filmmaker.
“I want to continue pursuing my career in film and telling stories about people from all over the world because I realized there are a lot of stereotypes I didn’t even know existed,” she says. “Traveling abroad, I learned so much about people in their communities and cultures that I want to help share those stories and bring awareness.”
Study Abroad: Take Your Education Global
Hernandez’s voyage is one example of how Montclair students turn the world into their classroom. Through International Academic Initiatives, Montclair offers:
- More than 200 study abroad and exchange programs in over 50 countries
- Faculty‑led programs, plus semester‑ and year‑long options across disciplines
- Access to scholarships and financial aid to help students fund international experiences
Ready to Start Your Montclair Journey? Accepted students: Make it official by submitting your new student deposit.