Growing through challenges, Julia Gosselin stayed rooted in the outdoors

“I’ve always been an outside kind of kid,” says Julia Gosselin, who grew up immersed in the forests, fields, and trails around her hometowns of Castleton and Rutland. “I did every summer camp I could—conservation camp, Girl Scout camp, Camp Chingachgook in Lake George—anywhere I could be outside, learning things, getting dirty, and being with nature.”

Julia’s early love of the outdoors stayed with her through high school and beyond. In 2022, she graduated from Castleton University (now Vermont State University Castleton) with a degree in Wildlife and Forest Conservation. Today, at 27, Julia is staying connected to conservation through seasonal trail work with Audubon Vermont and landscaping jobs that support wildlife, while she works at one of Vermont’s only emergency veterinary clinics.

“College wasn’t always something I thought I’d do,” she says. “When I was 16, everything just felt... stuck. I didn’t care about school. I didn’t think I had a future.” But Julia was part of VSAC’s Talent Search program, which supports Vermont students to pursue education beyond high school. And Julia’s VSAC Outreach Counselor, Monda Kelley, saw something different.

“She pushed me,” Julia says. “I tried to push her away, and she came back. She reminded me of who I used to be, this kid who loved being outside and in the trees, and who loved nature. Monda showed me that I could turn that love into a career and she showed me how to do it. Without her, honestly I don’t know if I would have gone to college.”

Finding her path

Family life has long been challenging for Julia. Julia’s older sibling faced substance use issues and money was often tight. In 2019, her father passed away from cancer, and her stepfather died in a motorcycle accident a few years later. But her parents always encouraged education, wanting Julia to succeed and have a rewarding career. Her mother, who works part-time from home, has always been a steady presence, encouraging Julia to figure things out and supporting her goals.

When Julia began meeting with her VSAC Outreach Counselor, Monda, regularly, she grew to appreciate what VSAC’s Talent Search program could offer. “Monda told me I was smart and that she was going to help me,” she recalls. We went on campus tours, worked on paperwork, and applied for scholarships together. I still remember taking the coach bus around to tour colleges with Monda and others from VSAC.”

Julia initially enrolled at Green Mountain College, where she was drawn to its forestry and ornithology programs, and its proximity to home. After the college closed, she transferred to nearby Castleton to finish her degree.

The Compost Queen

At both colleges she attended, Julia immersed herself in hands-on learning and sustainability work. At Green Mountain, she worked in the campus office of sustainability, where one of her jobs was to bike around campus with a trailer to collect recycling and to monitor compost bins in the dining hall. “People used to call me the ‘Compost Queen,’” she says. Her mentor, a junior and the student manager in the Sustainability Office dubbed “Compost Carl,” showed her what environmental stewardship could look like. “I wanted to be just like him.”

At Castleton, she completed a class in student support networks that trained her to help people through tough conversations and crises—skills that now help her both professionally and personally.

From there, she started at the Eastwood Animal Clinic in Rutland as part of a required internship. She worked as a veterinary technician during her internship and later returned in a different role.

“Some of it was really hard,” she says. “Holding an animal’s life in your hands—it’s a lot. But I loved being around animals, and I still work there now as a receptionist and maintenance helper.”

She’s also stayed involved with conservation work. Every Thursday, Julia works on the trails at lands managed by Audubon. “I really love being there,” she says. “Getting to share the outdoors with kids and families—it reminds me of how I started.”

Music, another lifelong love

In addition to her environmental interests, music has been a constant in Julia’s life. “I’ve always played the saxophone,” she says. In middle school, she participated in music festivals and concerts and in high school at Otter Valley, she played in the band and jazz band, a highlight of which was performing at the Berklee Music Festival. During her junior and senior years, she attended Stafford Technical Center, where she studied music and joined the school’s touring “Road Show.”

In college, she continued with band and jazz band. “It got tough during COVID,” she says. “Trying to manage group dynamics in a virtual band practice—but I stuck with it.” She still plays today and plans to continue to incorporate music into her life.

Stay curious and stay open

Julia says that for students who don’t see a path forward, the first step is just staying open to possibilities. “Even if you don’t know what you want to do, find someone to help you figure it out. Try things. Ask questions. There’s more to life than what’s in front of you right now.”

She’s also a believer in staying connected to your roots. “The jobs I’ve had, the people I’ve met—I wouldn’t have found those if I’d gone to a different school,” she says.

“VSAC helped me open that door,” she says. “They saw through me when I couldn’t see anything for myself. I’m really, really glad they did. And, Monda’s been my reference on every job I’ve had. Even when I didn’t want to listen to her, she kept nudging me forward.”

Now, with those experiences behind her and a strong support network still in place, Julia is looking ahead. Her dream job? Working with Vermonters to design gardens, lawns, and landscapes that support pollinators and wildlife, perhaps even with a focus on forestry and conservation.