Larry Myers, Chair of the Rotary International District 6270's Scholarships Subcommittee, meets some of the most outstanding young people who are making a difference in the world. While introducing our speaker, Myers stated how amazed he is at what the recipients of Global Grant Scholarships are doing worldwide.
One of those outstanding recipients is Brigitte Potter, the District 6270 2023-2024 Rotary Global Scholar, and graduate from Brookfield East High School. At the Friday morning meeting, Brigitte presented her goals, dreams, and journey to becoming one that can make a difference in this world through peace building and conflict prevention.
She attended UWM and received an undergraduate degree in English Second Education with the thought of becoming a teacher. Her experiences since have provided clarity for her mission in life, drawing her in another direction. After UWM, Brigitte spent a semester abroad at the Universidad De Granada in Spain...
then returning to the US to finish her degree. Post graduation, Brigitte moved to Greece where her passion for working with the refugee population brought her to a remote refugee camp, where she lived and worked for three months. Many of these refugees from the Middle East and Northern Africa had fled their countries due to war and violence. The camp was comprised mainly of mothers with children. To combat the challenges of isolation, the volunteers taught the children English and math, plus provided them with sports and art activities, trying to make life as normal as possible.
“Greece changed everything for me,” said Brigitte, who felt she was “doing what she is supposed to be doing.”
The multi-year process and challenges of seeking asylum can be long, comprised of dangerous travels, a long asylum claiming process, followed by the granting of the request and placement within a UN member country. During this process, many refugees are in limbo for five or more years.
After returning from Greece, Brigitte set out to spend a month in Uganda with a maternal health organization, followed by one year with the international institute of Wisconsin. Currently she is volunteering remotely for Cribs, an Athens, Greece, based organization serving mothers with children.
Her next venture is to pursue a degree in the “Master of Science in International Migration and Public Policy” program at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She is interested in studying preventative work, exploring what is the root cause why people feel the need to come to another country and what we can do socially and politically to keep people in their home communities. This dovetails with her Rotary Area of Focus on "Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution."
The LSE's Atrocity and Conflict Prevention program looks at the fragility of a country’s political and economic state to determine whether they at risk of a major event. What are the early warning signs of violence and what mitigation strategies can be employed to defuse an event, preventing violence while building strong political structures and empowering local communities? The other component is how to prepare for the potential of increasing refugee numbers.
Brigitte, Congratulations on receiving the 2023-2024 Rotary D-6270 Global Grant Scholarship!
Thank you for your service to those in need who are seeking a safe life for themselves and their families where they can prosper and thrive.
