Executive Dean Jelke's remarks at convocation

We all loved our Executive Dean Tom Jelke, who made us laugh. He handled all sorts of challenges with grace and wit. One of his toughest jobs was sending students home for violating the honor code they signed when they enrolled at Semester at Sea. As many as eight students were sent home for such offenses as being repeatedly drunk, behaving in a violent manner and plagiarism. 

Tom said his toughest job was calling the parents to tell them their son or daughter was on his or her way home. When I sympathized with him about all the responsibilities he had, he said "I actually thrive on problem solving. I make a decision and go on to the next challenge." On the final day of the semester, he was inspiring, witty and reflective as he addressed the student body at the convocation ceremony. Below are some of his comments:

•  I often like to quote St. Augustine who said, "The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." 
• When we boarded the MV Explorer 105 days ago, I told you not to travel as a tourist, but consider this is a voyage of a life time. 
• I told you that only 1 percent of the world's population finish college and only 1 percent travel around the world. You got to do both. 
• You also were among only one-hundredth of 1 percent to cross the equator at zero degrees at the same time as you crossed the prime meridian. Do I need to tell you how few people get to do these things with a Nobel Prize winner as their travel companion? You are lucky indeed.

 Just to review our voyage, we left the United States, home for most of you in, early January.

•   Ensenada, Mexico– was a quick stop
•   Hawaii – our first bump in the road (drinking parties, disturbing the peace)
•   Japan – clean, unique, and expensive
•   China – huge, variant, and a beautiful mix of ancient and modern
•   Vietnam – developing so quickly except for the drivers. Your second bump in the road
•   Singapore – modern, luxurious, and oppressive
•   Burma – people at peace even though the country was in turmoil
•   India – Poverty, beauty, layered classes
•   Neptune Day – you crossed the equator
•   Mauritius – a quick stop, but just enough time to get in trouble
•   Sea Olympics – competitive spirit overshadowed by community building
•   South Africa – sharks, safaris and shantytowns
•   Ghana – you either loved it or hated it
•   Morocco – your taste of an Arab nation did not disappoint you
•   And here we are floating 70 miles from Spain.

Most of you think it is almost over but it is not. It’s just the beginning. You have all changed. You will all travel again. Those passports will be used again. You will see each other. You will never forget. I am proud to have been a part of this voyage, to have helped lead an incredible team, to have helped you in your metamorphosis,  to have been a part of this community with you.  It has been a great pleasure and honor to be your executive dean and I will always reflect on this voyage fondly.

I am honored to present the Outstanding Service Award – Staff Member.

Several people were nominated for this award, but one name kept coming up over and over. She was the first person I hired because I knew she would to the job diligently, go above and beyond every day, and do it with a smile. In South Africa, she helped defuse a potential crisis when the shark diving trips were cancelled for the field office. In South Africa, she masterminded a last-minute series of moves to help a student retrieve her passport, find safe accommodations and travel, get a last minute visa for Ghana, and rejoin the ship. Almost every day you could find her in the office at 8 a.m. and you could find her in the office at 10 p.m. You could always find her in Glazer Lounge at 5 p.m. for cocktail hour too. It is a pleasure to give the Spring 2013 Outstanding Service Award to an amazing colleague and friend, Karen Burns.

Rebecca and Tom Jelke with their sons at the Alumni Ball