Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez Visits Semester at Sea

U.S. Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (D-California) spent several days with Semester at Sea participants, sailing with the program from Cadiz, Spain to Civitavecchia, Italy, and sharing stories of politics, Italian-American affairs, and life as a woman in Congress.

This is the first time Rep. Sanchez has sailed with Semester at Sea, 30 years after first learning about the program as a college student at Chapman University. Back in 1979, Sanchez drove her friend to the ship for her friend’s voyage. Sanchez returned again to visit that friend, SAS Summer 2009 instructor Kathy McCarrell.

“I’m delighted that Loretta can get time to join the program. She has done such remarkable things with her life and has so much to share with students,” McCarrell said.

Rep. Sanchez, who is fluent in Italian, served as a special Interport Lecturer for the voyage. She lived and studied in Rome during graduate school and currently works on a number of issues related to Italy as a representative in Congress, including meeting with Italian officials regarding military basing.

Sanchez represents the 47th Congressional District of California, which encompasses parts of Orange County. She began her congressional career in 1996 and is serving her seventh term in the House of Representatives. She is the ranking woman of the House Armed Services Committee and sits on the Oversight and Investigations, Strategic Forces, and Military Personnel Subcommittees.

During her time aboard the MV Explorer, Rep. Sanchez met with dozens of small groups of students, spoke in several classes, and fielded questions from students during a nearly two-hour Q&A discussion.

“She was really confident and inspiring,” said Mourette Valcin, a student from Bethel University, MN, who attended the Congresswoman’s two-hour Q & A session. “She was really informative on how the governments of the U.S. and Italy are different in how they are run, but how important Italy is as an ally for the United States. I really enjoyed hearing her speak.”

Click on this link to Semester at Sea's YouTube channel to watch some of the Congresswoman’s time on the ship. Semester at Sea was delighted to have her on board.