A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, in partnership with big names like Penn State, has been extended to students at Misericordia. Fifteen lucky applicants, if chosen, will embark on a field excursion to Antartica for two weeks during the 2023-2024 winter break.

Sites attended on the trip include the Beagle Channel, a scenic border between the bottom most tip of Chile and Argentina, the Antarctic Peninsula, and, if weather permits, Cape Horn.

Applicants will be exposed to various types of wildlife, ranging from penguins to seals and orca whales, as well historical landmarks of humanity’s journey to the end of the world, including Charles Darwin’s expeditions on the HMS Beagle, Ferdinand Magellan’s route around the world and the Drake Passage, in which students can cross over from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean in just a few hours.

Antarctica has widely been accepted as the “coldest, windiest, driest, highest, quietest, most remote and least understood continent on Earth.” For adventurers, environmental enthusiasts and even the mildly curious, this trip is perfect for escaping the hub-bub of campus life and embarking on a new frontier. It also offers a rare chance at making history.

“When I originally signed up to study abroad, I thought I was going to Italy,” Tom Hanks, of the Class of ‘79, excitedly remarked. “But I wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity to pet a penguin, either.” 

When asked about his time in Antarctica, Hanks said, “It’s been something else. After the shipwreck, I became really good friends with my shipmate Wilson and the two of us live like Mother Nature intended us to. I feel like a tougher, colder version of Chuck Norris.”

Hanks expressed his gratitude and feelings of camaraderie with the land, as if he’d lived his entire life on the fifth-largest continent. 

“It feels like I’ve been here forever. I might be stuck here for good,” he said. “If you’re reading this, Mom and Dad, there’s still hope.” Wilson was not able to offer comments on the trip.

Students interested in applying can send their names, their majors, and the color of socks they are wearing to [email protected]. There are only 15 seats on a first-come/first-served basis and they are filling up fast. Secure your spot on the Polar Plunge today.