From student to leader — a journey through wildlife and purpose
Mary Chasen first joined Putney Student Travel in 2017 on a Putney Open Door Fund scholarship for a wildlife studies program in Australia (a former Putney collaboration with National Geographic Student Expeditions). That experience introduced her to hands-on conservation and opened doors she hadn’t imagined.
“I never thought I would travel. I never thought I would fulfill my dreams of working with wildlife… and it was so surreal,” she recalls.
One moment that stands out is a bus ride through the Daintree Rainforest, where she connected with the driver, a member of the Gugu Yalanji tribe. She interviewed him for a student magazine, capturing the insights and stories of the local community.
Years later, when Mary returned as a Putney leader, she reconnected with the same community—and discovered that her local partner, now teaching students about rainforest conservation, was the bus driver’s cousin.
“Seven years later, I was staying with his family over the holidays and continuing to learn from that culture. It was really special,” she says.
Inspired by her former leaders, Mary wanted to give back:
“Putney changed the trajectory of my whole life… I always wanted to reciprocate that gift my leader gave me — inspiring me as a student — and provide that for others. I see students connect with the material, relate it to their own lives, and experience real change over the course of a program. That’s incredibly rewarding.”
She has also grown personally through leadership:
“Every program is a catalyst for my own growth. I’ve become more self-assured, learned the power of balance in co-leading, and discovered teaching gifts I didn’t know I had.”
From conservation in Australia to climate-focused programs in Iceland, Mary sees the impact of Putney on the next generation of students:
“I hear from students years later who are now researching carbon storage and climate adaptation. Seeing them take what they’ve learned and fly is a tangible testimony to the power of Putney Student Travel.”
Her advice for anyone considering a Putney program is simple:
“Go for it with full force, but walk with humble footsteps. Travel with purpose. That’s what Putney teaches you.”
>> Click here to explore Putney’s Australia programs
