Marc Patry (Year 5/1980, Canada-ON) was always curious about the world, which made Pearson College UWC a natural fit for him and his love of adventure.
After training and working as a teacher in the Calgary area, Marc’s interests led him to acquire a master’s degree and, through his work in agricultural land protection, he took on the role of helping set up a sustainable forestry project in rural Mexico. Then, at age 36, married and with a family, he decided to apply for a low-paid, no-benefits conservation NGO job in Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands.
He got the job…and it was the adventure of a lifetime!
That experience between 1998 and 2002 opened up the opportunity for him to work with UNESCO, managing projects across Latin America, the Caribbean and continuing his love for the Galapagos by travelling there under the UN flag.
“But the Pearson community has always meant a lot to me,” says Marc. “And I was always looking for ways to connect with alumni as well as give back to the College.”
Marc discovered a creative way of accomplishing those goals when, together with his spouse Heather, they created a boutique travel company that specializes in small-group, carbon-neutral trips to some of the planet’s most precious and important locations, including the Galapagos.
“We love sharing our unique connection to this special place,” says Marc of the Galapagos.
CNH Tours (Culture and Natural Heritage Tours) first offered a tailored trip to Pearson alumni with an initial not-for-profit charter in 2002. Earlier this year, they offered another Pearson-oriented tour of the remote shores of the archipelago, showcasing its rich seabird breeding grounds and giant tortoise colonies and included not-your-average tour adventures such as snorkeling with penguins, rays, sea lions, sea turtles and sharks!
Things haven’t been easy in the travel industry during COVID, but alumni coming together on the trip of a lifetime seemed to resonate. Thirty-two people, mostly Pearson alum and other UWC grads, came out this year to experience the Islands in good company. And the result was a welcome $8,000 donation to support Pearson students through the Renew & Re-found Campaign!
Marc and CNH Tours are aiming for a similar adventure – and another donation to the Campaign — for Pearson alumni, partners, families and friends in 2024! Get in touch with Marc at CNH Tours and have a great time while you’re supporting the Renew and Re-found Campaign!