University of Delaware
04/24/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/24/2026 07:22
Understanding sustainable development
Understanding sustainable development
Article by Katie Peikes Photos courtesy of Kent Messer, Helena Owen, Kristian Tolbert and Ava Ferry April 24, 2026
Patagonia study abroad teaches students to consider ethical implications of environmental decisions
Magdalena Island in Chile is home to sea lions, skuas and seagulls. But the stars of the show are the penguins - more than 100,000 of them. It's one of the largest penguin colonies in Patagonia.
Eleven University of Delaware students visited the national park in January as part of a transformative 2026 Winter Session study abroad in Patagonia. Amidst all the "oohs," "aahs" and Magellanic penguin selfies, Kent Messer posed a question to his group.
"When we go to a national park where there are penguins, but other animals living there too, how should we manage that national park?" the S. Hallock du Pont professor of applied economics asked. "Should the penguins be given (conservation) priority, and if so, why?"
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