Experiential Learning - Study Abroad

Mary Castellani - Study Abroad in Patagonia

I studied abroad in Patagonia during winter break 2025. The trip was 'An Exploration of Biodiversity, Natural History, and Conservation of Patagonia', a 12-day trip in coastal Argentina. The trip is through Rutgers Global, and it is led by Dr. Vagelli, a Rutgers Camden biology professor who is from Argentina and visits Patagonia often. I was fortunate to receive a SEBS GoingGlobal scholarship, and I highly recommend completing the scholarship application! The program was open to any Rutgers student, so there were a variety of majors and levels of biology understanding among the students. It was a small group, allowing us to go on a variety of adventures and become close friends. Some of my favorite things we did were exploring rocky tidepools, finding fossils and bones while observing Patagonian geology, and driving across the steppe and stopping whenever we spotted a new creature! My favorite aspect of the trip was feeling like explorers at the vast wildlife refuge. There was so much open land to learn about, from the plants to the pumas.

All protos courtesy of Mary Castellani.