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The Environmental Mission Scholarship supports students who come to Vermont Law School with a cause and want to use the power of the law to make a difference in their communities and the world. Scholarships are available to students pursuing careers in public service, environmental stewardship, global advocacy, and innovation—the core values of the Vermont Law School education. In addition to providing financial support to students, the program includes mentoring and research opportunities in the student's chosen field. See below for profiles of recent scholars, and see here to meet alumni of the program. 

Watch our recent Environmental Mission Scholars’ presentations

 

Environmental Mission Scholars

 

Hannah Weisgerber

Hannah Weisgerber, JD'25

Undergraduate: Wright State University

Hometown: Dayton, OH

What environmental experience brought you to Vermont Law School?

My environmental mission is to support and protect communities from the hazardous behavior of negligent industries. Before coming to law school, I read about DuPont, the company responsible for contaminating drinking water with PFAS in southeastern Ohio and northwestern West Virginia (to name a few places). Robert Billot, the lawyer who pursued decades-long litigation against DuPont at the cost of his own health and well-being, was the person who inspired me to pursue perpetrators of environmental crimes. Nothing is more revolting to me than the companies—and their executives—that blatantly disregard human and ecological health in exchange for a bigger bottom line. 

Pursuing these environmental crimes brought me to law school. Within my role as an environmental mission scholar, I look forward to increasing our awareness of environmental crimes. I hope that, in my own way, I can elevate our nation's health and regulatory standards. No one deserves to be poisoned. More than that, no one deserves to face that reality without strong, passionate defenders on their side. We need to hold the people who commit environmental crimes to a higher standard, especially when those people are operating from a position of immense power. We cannot give up! Not only must we continue fighting for ourselves, but for those who follow us. It is such an honor to pursue an education that will allow me to protect the people and environments that I love and care for.

Laura Arboleda Bowie, JD'25

Savannah Collins, JD/MCEP'25

Natasha De La Cruz, JD'24

 

Dante DeNault

Dante DeNault, JD'24

Hometown: Latham, New York

Undergraduate School: Ithaca College

What is the environmental mission that brought you to VLGS?

Water justice! Equitably protecting Earth's water resources and water quality through law, land use planning, public participation, and design. 

Clara Derby, JD'24

Hometown: Bismarck, ND

Undergraduate School: Minnesota State University Moorhead

What is the environmental mission that brought you to VLGS?

To be an environmental justice advocate supporting grassroots movements and tribal sovereignty efforts to resist extractive or otherwise harmful industries on and near tribal lands.

Isabella (Bella) O'Connor, JD'24

 

Alexius (Alex) Paul

Alexius (Alex) Paul, JD'24

Hometown: Houston, TX

Undergraduate School: University of Houston

What is the environmental mission that brought you to VLGS?

The Mission that brought me to VLGS is to gain legal knowledge on national environmental and environmental justice issues that can hopefully be solved using the legal system.

Julia Bloechl, JD/MCEP'25

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