Brigid hails from the East Side of Michigan but fell in love with Grand Rapids while
attending Aquinas College. A psychology major and studio art minor, Brigid completed
internships with the Aquinas Admissions Office and participated in the Chicago Semester,
teaching art classes at St. Agatha and shadowing an art therapist at a group home
for boys. After graduating, she worked in Admissions, recruiting future Saints from
Detroit and Grand Rapids public schools. The lifelong learning bug, a dislike of Michigan
winters, and love of a fellow AQ alum and Marine led her to pursue a Masters Degree
in Higher Education Leadership at the University of San Diego. She finished her time
in sunny southern California as the Development Officer for the High Tech High Foundation,
supporting a group of revolutionary charter schools that served a diverse student
population. The Pure Michigan commercials worked, however, and she and husband Jeremy
Chesla ’01 came back home to Michigan, and Aquinas, when she accepted the position
of Alumni Director. After serving for 9 years, Brigid transitioned to the student
side of the “house” and now serves as the Director of Career Services and Internship
Director. She lives across the street from Aquinas (she can see inside Albertus from
her front porch) with her two boys, Emmett and Leo, and firefighting husband.
