When Randi Sue Quat and John Rosenberg set sail with Semester at Sea, their lives would be changed in more ways than one. Randi took her first voyage in Fall 1982 as one of the ship’s nurses. She would meet John on a winter voyage in 1996 when he was serving as the voyage’s artist-in-residence. The couple wed a few years later and have sailed on several more voyages, both as staff and as Lifelong Learners.
“Semester at Sea completely changed my life,” Randi says. “It introduced me to so many friends, international travel, social impact, and my husband. I owe a lot of my personal evolution and growth to the program.”
On each of their journeys, Randi and John enjoyed engaging with fellow voyagers and seeing the program’s incredible impact.
“No matter what voyage, what ship, or the countries on the itinerary, everyone who sails comes away with an indescribable sense of wonder,” John says. “It’s an experience that will forever change anyone.”
To help ensure future voyagers can also have similar life-changing experiences, Randi and John have established a gift in their estate plan, also known as a bequest.
“It’s powerful to us knowing that we can help increase the access for more students to be able to participate in Semester at Sea through our planned giving,” Randi says. “While we have a thousand ideas about how our gift could be used, we trust Semester at Sea leadership and the board of trustees to make the most impactful decision.”
“Semester at Sea alters you more than you could ever imagine,” John adds. “We’d love everyone to have the opportunity to experience a voyage.”
Planned gifts like Randi and John’s lay the foundation for the future success of Semester at Sea and make journeys of discovery possible. To learn how you can make a difference with your gift, contact Planned Giving Team at or giving@isevoyages.org.