Living a Life Full of Adventure: Zoey’s Tribute to Karri Casner
On the walls of the MV World Odyssey, a heart-shaped collage of photos and scrapbook pages stands as a testament to a life well-lived. At its center is an image of Karri Casner, smiling warmly as she holds a small child. The caption reads: “In Memory of Karri Casner: Spring 2000.”
Many who have seen this collage on the ship may have admired Karri’s scrapbook pages–which so thoughtfully and creatively captured her travels—and wondered who she was. Some may even have searched for her name online, discovering snippets of a life defined by compassion, adventure, travel, family, and creativity.
Karri Casner, a graduate of the University of Colorado, embodied a love for adventure. An avid skier and runner from Irving, Texas, Karri especially enjoyed traveling with her sister, Kayce, who was just 18 months younger. The two daughters of Bill and Susan Casner shared a close bond and spent much of their time together. When traveling, and when spending time in beautiful locations, such as Vail, Colorado, and many spots around the world, Karri’s adventurous spirit flourished.
Karri’s creativity shone through her passion for documenting her life. Her scrapbook pages, many of which are now displayed on the MV World Odyssey, beautifully narrate her Semester at Sea journey, which ignited her lifelong love for international travel. Beyond her artistic talents and adventurous nature, Karri was deeply compassionate, particularly toward children. She once wrote, “If you look into the eyes of a child, you can see the light of the future.”
Two years after her Semester at Sea voyage, in 2002, Karri was visiting Bali with her sister, Kayce, embracing the vibrant beauty of the island. Tragically, this is when the unimaginable struck. On October 2, 2002, Karri was a victim of a large series of bombing attacks in the Kuta district in Bali. At just 23 years old, Karri was killed–one of 202 people who perished in the attacks on this dark day.
The devastating loss of Karri forever changed her family. Kayce’s heartfelt accounts of losing her sister—a best friend and travel companion—were shared in news outlets, telling the story of a family grappling with immeasurable grief. Despite this profound loss, the Casners found a way to honor Karri’s memory and values. They established the Karri Casner Memorial Scholarship to support Semester at Sea students with financial needs. This scholarship helps students who share Karri’s vision for exploring the world, understanding diverse cultures, and serving their communities. Through this ongoing legacy, Karri’s love for adventure, creativity, and compassion lives on, inspiring new generations of voyagers to embrace a life “full of adventure, passion, determination, and a thirst for knowledge.”
Living a Life Full of Adventure: Zoey’s Tribute to Karri Casner
Zoey Byrne, a Fall 2022 recipient of the Karri Casner Memorial Scholarship, intends to keep traveling the world – and, while doing so, she will always carry the memory of Karri Casner with her. Everywhere Zoey travels—and at every port she visited during her SAS voyage—she leaves behind a small sticker bearing the words: “Live a Life Full of Adventure: In Memory of Karri Casner.” These stickers, placed in visible locations on Zoey’s travels, are her way of honoring Karri and spreading her name around the world.
For Zoey, joining Semester at Sea was a dream that required determination and resilience. Coming from Vilas, Colorado—a town of just 97 residents—Zoey grew up in a close-knit community with her 13 siblings. “My family is about 20 percent of the town’s population,” she joked. She describes her family’s financial background as “not financially fortunate,” and she needed financial help to make a commitment to going on Semester at Sea. Zoey approached this situation with courage: she saw her scholarship journey not as a roadblock but as a “challenge to herself to find resources.”
When Zoey eventually learned she had been awarded the Karri Casner Memorial Scholarship, she was overjoyed. “It was a major help for me,” she said. “That’s why I wanted to show my appreciation in a meaningful way by placing the stickers in every port I visited—and continuing to place them wherever I travel.”
Before her voyage, Zoey researched Karri’s life and was deeply moved by her story. “I was heartbroken to learn what had happened, but I was also inspired by the Casner family’s decision to honor her memory by helping others live their own stories,” she said. Zoey shared her journey on Instagram, where she documented the stickers and her travels. When the Casner family found her posts, it was a moment of connection that strengthened Zoey’s resolve to carry Karri’s legacy forward.
“I can’t say how much of a difference Semester at Sea and being able to have a scholarship like this made for me,” Zoey said. “Being able to share Karri’s story through my own travels was really life-changing; it really felt like it gave me a purpose. I wasn’t just going on Semester at Sea to make memories, but I was going to do something for Karri. I’m positive this scholarship happened for a reason: it fell into my hands so that I could share Karri’s story. She will always live within me.”
Looking Forward: Karri Casner’s Legacy
Though Karri Casner is no longer with us, her legacy and ideals for adventure, creativity, travel, family, and compassion continue to shine. Through the Karri Casner Memorial Scholarship, students like Zoey Byrne are given opportunities to embark on transformative journeys, carrying Karri’s values with them for generations to come.
If you are inspired by Karri’s story, please consider supporting the Karri Casner Memorial Scholarship. Together, we can honor Karri’s legacy and help future Semester at Sea students live a life full of adventure–just like Karri.
