Poultney, Vermont – May 22, 2017 – A student who is passionate about restoring St. Albans Bay, Vermont, to a place of beauty will get a head start on her dream—free—at the nation’s number-one college for sustainability-based education.
Jessica Casey, of St. Albans, Vermont, is the recipient of the “First in Sustainability Scholarship Award” from Green Mountain College (GMC). Her essay on phosphorous contamination of the bay and Lake Champlain – its impact on people, animals and marine life, and how she will use a GMC education to develop solutions – has earned her this $200,000 value scholarship. The award covers her tuition, room/board and fees for all four years of study.
“At a time of heightened attention to the world’s sustainability challenges—environmental, economic and social—students like Jessica give us hope for the future.” said Robert (Bob) Allen, President, Green Mountain College. “Her essay conveys her deep-seated commitment to returning this natural resource to the community. She is exactly the kind of young leader the world needs: informed, enthused, and purposeful about creating a more sustainable world.”
As she noted in her essay, Jessica grew up witnessing the decay of the bay and how “phosphorous contamination is causing chaos in Lake Champlain.” She mourns the loss of the Bay as a “center of family activities,” noting that “dogs have died because of the dangerous algae blooms in these waters.” Her mission: to bring back “this once beautiful spot.”
A senior at Bellows Free Academy in St. Albans, Jessica’s commitment to sustainability began with a love of animals, and was heightened by a summer program in water quality. Her parents have always nurtured her environmental interests, and she has been further inspired by her part-time position at Otter Creek Wildlife Rescue, where she helps rehabilitate animals from across the state, including some that have suffered because of the polluted bay.
“The Renewable Energy and Ecological Design program at Green Mountain College can help me develop the understanding and methods I need to repair the damage already inflicted,” she added. “I want to learn all I can, and Green Mountain College is the ideal next step for me. Moreover, my overnight visit to the school conveyed such a sense of community that I’m even more excited to attend this fall,” she added.
In addition to studying at GMC, Jessica will be playing soccer with the GMC Eagles. And, she plans to take advantage of GMC’s membership in an Eco League of colleges that accept transfers from each other, including international options, so that she can spend part of her education at a European school.
Recognized more than any college for its leadership in sustainability, Green Mountain College provides a personal, practical and purposeful education that prepares graduates to “do well by doing good.” The college offers 22 academic majors and 32 additional minors and certificates, all built on its core sustainability focused general education curriculum. Ninety-seven percent of graduates are employed or in graduate school and ninety-five percent of graduates are satisfied or very satisfied in their work.
About Green Mountain College – First in Sustainability
The nation’s number-one college and curriculum for sustainability, Green Mountain College prepares students to build meaningful careers pursuing social, economic and environmental sustainability. The college’s holistic sustainability-based education, built on a core sustainability focused general education curriculum, enables students to develop the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in our rapidly changing world. The college also offers online master’s degree programs, and a three-year B.S. degree in partnership with The Killington Resort. For more information, visit www.greenmtn.edu.