2013 Alumna Visit: Brigit Stattelman-Scanlan
Six years after graduating from St. James School, Brigit Stattelman-Scanlan returned to motivate current middle school students to take action against the global problem of climate change. She shared her experiences attending the College of St. Benedict in Minnesota, where Brigit is an Environmental Studies major with minors in Political Science and Hispanic Studies. A member of the Climate Action Club, Brigit also serves as an Upper Class Representative on the Student Senate, leads campus tours as an Admissions Tour Guide, and works with the Institute for Women’s Leadership. She divides any remaining time between rowing crew, playing intramural soccer, and hammocking! She earned a scholarship to travel to Madrid for the December 2019 United Nations Climate Change Conference, and she will spend the spring semester studying abroad in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
Students reflected on Brigit’s presentation:
“Brigit took time away from school to speak out against climate change during the COP25 Global Conference in Madrid, Spain. After college, she is interested in joining the Peace Corps to help stop climate change.” Lilly Moschkau
“I was very interested to learn how Brigit is going to protests and fighting for the health of our Earth.” Elizabeth Lozano
“Brigit spoke to us about how her great passion for resolving climate change led her to attend the COP25 Conference. She encouraged us to take action for what we believe in.” Sofia De La Brena
Jonah Makwinja wrote, “Brigit spoke up about how we want a clean environment, and she helped identify solutions to make it happen.” Liliana Arango-Escalante, Jules Da Costa, Audrey Duffy and Juliette Weinstein took meticulous notes about Brigit’s educational background and facts about the impacts of climate change.
Alejandro Ponce-Ocelotl recorded steps Brigit recommended students could take to help, including: “use less energy, find reusable straws/water bottles/bags/cups, don’t litter, reduce meat consumption, garden, vote [at 18], and let your voice be heard!”
