For many, it’s an irresistible call: The opportunity to study for six weeks at the world-renowned Sea Education Association (SEA), which happens to be little more than an hour from Easton, followed by a month aboard a tall ship research vessel off the coasts of Fiji, New Zealand, or the Caribbean.

“​I’ve never learned so much in such a short period of time,” said Kate Morneault ’16, an accounting major and environmental studies minor whose adventure led her to the South Pacific off the coast of New Zealand. “It was one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences of my life. I learned that I can do anything I put my mind to.”

She and other Stonehill students in the program have come away from the experience with stronger leadership and collaboration skills as well as a deeper understanding of the health of our oceans and its impact on the world.

SEA's study abroad program is called SEA Semester. Over the course of it’s three-year history at Stonehill, we’ve chronicled their adventures in hopes of helping others imagine themselves performing experiments, taking the helm of a 134-foot brigantine, and forming close bonds with a crew comprised of professors and students from other colleges and universities, united by their shared passion for science exploration and adventure.