Katharine (Dix) Rubinetti, a SAS alumna from the small village of Palmyra, New York, once felt terrified of flying overseas–especially alone. At 16, she confronted her fear by joining a high school group trip to London, Paris, and Rome, successfully navigating her first international journey. In her early years of college, Katharine participated in service trips to Nicaragua and Guatemala and joined a tour of the U.K., Belgium, and the Netherlands. But it was her Spring 2017 Voyage with Semester at Sea that marked her first truly independent global adventure—an epically bold risk that shaped her life’s trajectory. “My desire to visit these places eventually overrode my fears, and so I went for it,” she recalls.
While earning a degree in Political Science with a specialization in International Relations and minors in archaeology and legal studies at Monmouth University, Katharine’s fascination with the world drove her to see and experience as much as possible. Overcoming her initial fears—even enduring a “small anxiety attack” on the bus from San Diego to Ensenada to board the ship—proved worthwhile. The risks she took brought invaluable rewards: a clear career path, a lifelong love of travel, and cherished friendships with Blair and Lexi, whom she met on the voyage and later included as bridesmaids in her wedding. Katharine’s connection to Semester at Sea extended beyond her voyage. Until recently, she served as Co-Chair of the SAS Young Alumni Council (YAC) for two years, following a term as YAC Secretary. She also contributed as a member of the SAS Task Force, helping to reimagine the Alumni Association.
While on her 2017 voyage, Katharine embraced her vast leadership experiences to serve as a member of the Sea Council. She met her roommate, Blair, and another friend, Lexi, who are now lifelong friends. Katharine had so many incredible adventures on her voyage, notably her time fighting off the flu while simultaneously visiting the Great Wall of China (after she completed her quarantine, of course!); being led in a group by a kind local man, Brahim, who served as an impromptu tour guide in the shops of Marrakech; working through a riverboat trip with a sprained ankle while in Myanmar (and getting through it with the help of her newfound friends); and getting lost while in a cab on the way to see the Terracotta Warriors in China (and finding her way back with the help of a kind tour guide who could speak Mandarin!) Through all of these experiences, Katharine learned a valuable lesson: “Things will happen, but you’ll get through it.”
Another key influence during her voyage was Dr. Mara Karlin, a three-time SAS alumna, SAS Board of Trustees member, and former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities. “Dr. Karlin gave me advice to not get my Master’s degree right after college. If I hadn’t followed that advice, I would have been in an international relations master’s program and probably wouldn’t have discovered the path I’m on now, which is a better fit for me,” she said. Katharine also believes it was her many experiences in ports that led her to explore her eventual career path in cultural heritage, solidifying the notion that her voyage helped chart her life’s path going forward.
Today, Katharine lives in Grenada, where her husband is in medical school. She works as a grant and funding manager in a consulting role and serves as a Cultural Heritage Specialist for the Grenada National Trust, leading projects and securing grants to preserve the island’s cultural heritage. Recently, she helped the organization win a UNESCO grant! Katharine is also in her final year of a Master of Arts program in Cultural Heritage Management at Johns Hopkins University. Later this year, Katharine and her husband plan to return to the United States as he begins his clinical rotations.
Looking ahead, Katharine envisions staying connected with Semester at Sea for years to come. She hopes to one day sail again as staculty, potentially while or after earning her Ph.D. In the meantime, she encourages anyone with an opportunity to sail to do so: “If there’s any way to make it happen, figure it out,” she said. “It will 100,000 percent be worth it!”
