{"id":227726,"date":"2026-04-21T12:06:21","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T16:06:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/?p=227726"},"modified":"2026-04-21T14:07:21","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T18:07:21","slug":"montclair-student-sails-the-world-with-semester-at-sea-and-un-linked-study-abroad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/2026\/04\/21\/montclair-student-sails-the-world-with-semester-at-sea-and-un-linked-study-abroad\/","title":{"rendered":"Montclair Student Sails the World with Semester at Sea and UN-linked Study Abroad"},"content":{"rendered":"

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<\/a> on the Semester at Sea<\/a> study abroad program, living on a ship and facilitating conversations on human rights and education across Europe, Asia and Africa.<\/span><\/p>\n

Over four months, Hernandez lived and learned at sea, meeting with local leaders through a United Nations\u2011connected dialogue program \u2013 an experience she says changed how she sees both the world and her own future.<\/span><\/p>\n

Montclair\u2019s study abroad and international programs, including Semester at Sea, help students like Pamela gain global experience and bring those insights back to campus.<\/span><\/p>\n

First Time Seeing the Ocean \u2013 and Living on It<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Hernandez remembers her first sight of the ship \u2013 and of the ocean itself \u2013 when she boarded in IJmuiden, the Netherlands.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI’d never been on a ship, and it was so huge,\u201d she said. \u201cI just stared at it for a good minute thinking, \u2018Oh my God, I’m going to be living here for the next four months.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/span><\/p>\n

Four Months, 13+ Scholarship Applications \u2013 and a Life\u2011Changing Email<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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<\/a>, which supports students engaged with Chinese language and Chinese studies, as well as U.S.\u2013China relations.<\/p>\n

Her application told the story of a first\u2011generation Mexican American student whose first language was Spanish, who struggled with English as a child, and later added Korean and Mandarin at Montclair \u2013 tying her multilingual journey to a commitment to cross\u2011cultural understanding and global storytelling as a double major in Film & Television<\/a> and Business Administration<\/a>, with a minor in Asian Languages<\/a>.<\/p>\n

She learned she had won the scholarship while at work as an intern in Broadcast and Media Operations<\/a> on campus. \u201cThat was the best news of my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

With the award secured, everything accelerated. \u201cI only had two months to prepare for the voyage, and you don’t know how to prepare because of how extensive it is,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

UN Dialogue Training: Practicing Difficult Conversations on Human Rights and Education<\/strong><\/h2>\n

On top of classes, Hernandez was selected for a United Nations\u2011connected dialogue program that ran alongside the voyage, part of Semester at Sea\u2019s efforts to build global conversation skills.<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/span><\/p>\n

In India, discussions around women\u2019s 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\u2019 access to schooling.<\/span><\/p>\n

Turning 12 Ports into a Global Classroom Through Study Abroad<\/strong><\/h2>\n

On her Semester at Sea<\/a> 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 \u201cin\u2011port\u201d class days, where professors designed activities that connected course content to local realities.<\/p>\n

Those experiences helped Hernandez see how issues like education, gender equity and media representation look different around the world \u2013 and how they intersect.<\/p>\n

Living in the Moment \u2013 and Bringing Stories Back to Montclair<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Hernandez is still processing the impact of the voyage.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the biggest takeaways was to just live in the moment because I am such a perfectionist, and when I travel \u2013 especially when it comes to safety \u2013 I want to know where I’m going, who I’m going with, where I’m staying,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

With no internet during long stretches at sea and last\u2011minute itinerary changes \u2013 like diverting from France to Portugal due to protests \u2013 she had to loosen her grip and trust the journey.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a first-generation student, I can’t really have control over my entire life,\u201d Hernandez said. \u201cI 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

On track to graduate in 2027, Hernandez says the experience clarified her purpose as an aspiring filmmaker.<\/p>\n

\u201cI 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,\u201d she says. \u201cTraveling abroad, I learned so much about people in their communities and cultures that I want to help share those stories and bring awareness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Study Abroad: Take Your Education Global<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Hernandez\u2019s voyage is one example of how Montclair students turn the world into their classroom. Through International Academic Initiatives<\/a>, Montclair offers:<\/p>\n