ALUMNI REUNION
JANUARY 14 - 20, 2025
Time to Reconnect
"Truly one of the best experiences of my life. I would recommend the
Alumni Reunion wholeheartedly. It's an experience I will never forget!"
- Brooke Derue, EPI Reunion 2023
Join us in the jungle! The Reunion will be held at Pacuare Reserve, EPI's wildlife haven and conservation research site hidden in the tropical forest along Costa Rica's Caribbean Sea. Every year, researchers, ecotourists, and photographers flock from all across the world to explore this biodiverse hotspot. In addition to the iconic leatherback sea turtle, Pacuare Reserve is home to more than 2,700 species of plants and animals (and counting).
THE LOCATION
Nesting grounds for
sea turtle species
Three sea turtle species come to nest on Pacuare Reserve's beaches, including the iconic leatherback.
200+ bird
species
Pacuare Reserve's untouched, peaceful atmosphere is ideal for bird watching & spotting colorful, captivating species.
32 mammal
species
Big cats including jaguars and ocelot can be spotted here, along with three of Costa Rica's four primate species.
ITINERARY
DAY 1: Arrive in Costa Rica!
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Meet your instructor team
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Prepare for your adventure in a cozy hotel outside of San Jose.
DAY 2: Introduction to The Reserve
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Board buses and boats to get from San Jose to Pacuare Reserve.
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Get to know the land and people you’ll be
spending the next week with!
DAYS 3-5: Work and Play
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Expect around 5 hours of volunteering/day.
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Free time to hammock, read, play games, tour the canal, learn about camera traps, and observe the ample creatures of the beach and jungle ecosystems.
DAY 6: Off on an adventure
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Celebrate a successful reunion by rafting a Costa Rican river with your volunteer crew, and then return to the Central Valley for a final meal together.
DAY 7: Departure from San Jose airport from
Download details and the itinerary here
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Pacuare Reserve is first and foremost a safe haven and conservation research site for thousands of animal and plant species. As such, the site’s campus and accommodations are simple, rustic, and powered entirely by solar energy to best preserve the area. The benefit for you? With no electricity, crowds, or distractions, you’ll experience the incredible wildlife, landscape, and people of this magical place without interruption.
LODGING
REUNION
HIGHLIGHTS
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Prep for sea turtle season
January at Pacuare Reserve serves as a time to prep for the arrival of leatherback sea turtles and the Research Assistants (RA) protecting them.
The reunion's volunteer project will be installing location markers along the 6-kilometer beach. By having precise points of reference, RAs are better able to report where they discover sea turtle nest locations and relocate them to the safety of the hatchery with greater ease.
Make new connections
Connect, share, and grow with a close-knit group of like-minded individuals. Check out last year's testimonials to hear more about this!
You'll be guided by Pacuare Reserve's Research and Education Coordinator, Claudio Quesada, who has over twenty years of experience working in the conservation and research of sea turtles. Don't miss this rare opportunity to get advice, feedback, and inspiration from a leader and pioneer in the scientific community.
You'll also be supported by EPI's Alumni Coordinator Sarah Wood, whose job is to provide you with opportunities and amplify your voice. How can EPI better serve our alumni? She's all ears!
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Explore the rainforest
Knowledgeable staff will guide you along jungle trails where you'll observe and learn about some of Costa Rica's iconic wildlife, including primates, sloths, tropical birds, and eye-catching lizards. You'll get a behind the scenes look at the research projects Pacuare Reserve's staff and researchers are currently focused on.
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Flip through our
2023 REUNION PHOTO BOOK
FAQs
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Q: When is the deadline to apply?
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A: The deadline to apply is November 17, 2024, with a $350 deposit.
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All paperwork is due December 1, 2024, Remaining $700 payment is due December 8th, 2024.
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Q: How much does the course cost?
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A: The highly discounted course costs $1050 exclusively for EPI Alumni! If you're unsure of whether or not you can make the cost work, please contact Sarah Wood (sarah@ecologyproject.org) to ask about financial assistance.
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Q: Does the course fee include airfare?
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A: No, airfare is not included in the course fee.
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Q: Is there an age requirement to attend?
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A: Yes, attendees must be 18 and older to participate.
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Q: When and where is the Reunion?
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A: The Reunion is from January 14-20, 2025, at Pacuare Reserve, Costa Rica.
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Q: What will we be doing during the trip?
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A: We will be volunteering to prep the beach for the upcoming leatherback sea turtle nesting season.
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Q: Who will be our guide and instructor?
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A: We will be learning from Pacuare Reserve's Research and Education Coordinator, Claudio Quesada and supported by your Alumni Program Coordinator, Sarah Wood.
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TESTIMONIALS:
"This was an amazing experience for me and I needed it. I’ve been feeling like I’m falling into the routine “daily grind” of life and so I truly needed an opportunity to meet new people, learn about a new culture, volunteer to help amazing animals, and get out of my comfort zone,"
-Ellie Metzger, 2023 EPI Alumni Reunion Participant
"Despite the wide array of education, interests, hometowns, and ages, the group got along like we had been digging holes on the beach together for years. At one moment, a master’s student in mechanical engineering was drinking out of a coconut alongside a Nashville-based singer-songwriter. The next, an 18-year-old from Moscow, Idaho was discussing climate policy with a 7th-grade science teacher from rural New York. No matter who was paired together, the conversation and laughter flowed naturally."
- Sierra Deimling, Former EPI Alumni Coordinator
"This alumni trip with EPI was the first major trip I had ever taken on my own. Needless to say, this came with some minor nerves and apprehension. All of this was so quickly dashed immediately after meeting the facilitators and fellow group members, who were some of the most open, kind, supportive people I’ve met. I have never created such profound connections in such a short amount of time; but I was able to spend time getting to know a different member of the group each day. The setting was a perfect one for this kind of trip, and the balance between work, education, and relaxation was excellent. I would take this trip again or recommend it in a heartbeat."
- Rya Hickey, 2023 EPI Alumni Reunion Participant
Enroll today to join us in the jungle!
Click the button below and
fill in the form as follows:
Questions? Contact our Alumni Coordinator Sarah at sarah@ecologyproject.org.
ENROLLMENT INSTRUCTIONS: