Today marked our first interaction with our biggest guest of the trip, Universidad Austral. Austral is one of the few private universities in Argentina, enrolling over 6.000 students and home to the Hospital Universitario Austral. The university is only roughly 40 years old, and the buildings have all been very well kept. The campus has a very sleek, sophisticated feel that exudes confidence and professionalism. As Argentina offers universal free college, it is very important that Austral is at its very best in order to entice students to attend over other cheaper options. They market their top tier job placement, which is above that of the local University of Buenos Aires, and they also put the icing on the cake with maintaining their luscious, green campus with plenty of open space. The students are all well dressed, but there is no official uniform or apparent strict rules. Appearance is important for respect and status. What was curious was that none of the students that I saw had on Austral t-shirts or sweatshirts or the like, which is a big difference from the Pitt campus where almost every other person walking down Forbes has the Pitt script proudly displayed across their chest. In fact, the university bookstore does not even sell Austral apparel. Talking to the guide, customized items like these are actually seen as more of a gift item in Argentina, and it would be almost embarrassing to have us pay for them. It appeared almost ludicrous to her that we might go out marketing her university and at the same time pay her for it. She also mentioned that customized items can cost a pretty penny in Argentina, and that when looking at the opportunity to buy the apparel or give one extra student a life-changing opportunity to attend Universidad Austral, the scholarship always wins. Because roughly 38% of the country lives at or below the poverty line, these scholarships can truly help change the direction of someone’s life. Overall, I was impressed with the both the culture of Austral and the progress the university has made in just 40 years and the plan that they have planned out for the future. I am hopeful that they can continue to expand and offer the top tier education that they do today.