Carley (Braegelmann) Castellanos ’11 has spent much of her life advocating for others, building community and thinking creatively about how people can live more sustainably — values that further developed during her time at the College of Saint Benedict. Though her professional and personal journey has taken many turns since graduating in 2011, the Benedictine values and liberal arts education she experienced at Saint Ben’s continues to shape the way she approaches life, work and family.
In many ways, her connection to Saint Ben’s began long before she became a student. Carley’s mother worked on campus in facilities and security, so she spent time visiting the college as a child. She remembers exploring the Main Building, seeing the fishpond and becoming familiar with the beauty and welcoming atmosphere of campus. By the time college applications came around, she had already made up her mind.
“I only applied to St. Ben’s,” she said with a laugh. “My parents were a little nervous about that, but I just knew it was where I wanted to be.”
Carley graduated in 2011 with a degree in communication after discovering a strong interest in intercultural communication, sociology and social justice. Though she initially planned to pursue psychology, her experiences at Saint Ben’s helped her recognize a different path. A combination of courses — including sociology, philosophy, peace studies and communication — along with opportunities to present and engage in meaningful conversations helped her develop confidence and a broader understanding of how she wanted to make an impact.
“It was really a combination of experiences, both in and outside the classroom, that shaped me,” she said. “My liberal arts education gave me the confidence to present, to connect with people and to think critically about the world.”
After graduation, Carley stayed at Saint Ben’s, spending seven years working in Campus Ministry. She began coordinating the Alternative Break Experience program and later served as an assistant director, leading social justice initiatives and service opportunities for students. At the height of the program, she helped organize numerous service trips across Minnesota, the United States and internationally. Groups of students spent time working alongside communities while reflecting on issues of justice, culture and service.
“I knew right away that I wanted to continue working with the Alternative Break Experience program,” she said. “Those experiences had such an impact on me as a student, and I wanted to help provide that for others.”
Through her work on campus, Carley also found mentors who helped guide her professionally and personally. She credits leaders like S. Sharon Nohner, Jessica (Guentzel) Himmerick, who was the Director of CSB Campus Ministry, and Mary Geller with encouraging her to trust her voice and grow as a leader. Himmerick also encouraged Carley’s participation and leadership in ABE as a student and later encouraged her to apply for the ABE Coordinator position when she shared that she would be leaving her role. The mentorship Carley received — both formally and informally — left a lasting impression.
“The mentorship I received was incredibly meaningful,” she said. “It gave me confidence and support that helped shape the person I am today.”
Even years later, some of the students she mentored during her time at Saint Ben’s stayed in touch, reaching out to share how those conversations and experiences shaped their own journeys. Hearing from former students remains one of the most meaningful reminders of the impact that mentorship and encouragement can have.
“It’s such a gift when someone takes the time to tell you how you impacted them,” she said. “It reminds me how important it is to do that for others too.”
When Carley and her husband welcomed their second child, she began rethinking what balance looked like in her life. After years of leading programs, organizing travel and working long hours, she realized she wanted to prioritize being present for her family.
“It’s okay that Bennies take their own path,” she said. “For me, that meant putting family first and making sure I was home for my kids.”
Today, Carley balances several roles that allow her to remain engaged with her community while maintaining that flexibility. She helps support her husband’s family businesses; substitute teaches, runs a small bakery from home and gives presentations to community groups.
She and her husband have also completed a remarkable project several years in the making: building a sustainable earthship home in central Minnesota. The idea for the home actually dates back to a year before Carley was at Saint Ben’s, when her husband convinced her to build an earthship. Earthships are homes built using recycled materials such as tires, bottles and cans and are designed to function sustainably by collecting rainwater, growing food and regulating temperature naturally.
“At first I thought it sounded crazy,” she said with a laugh. “But once I understood the sustainability behind it, I started to see what was possible.”
Years later, that curiosity turned into a four-year building project involving 1,600 recycled tires and countless hours of labor. The finished home collects rainwater, reuses water to nourish indoor plants, relies largely on solar power, and is heated and cooled through the use of thermal mass, insulation, natural convection and solar gains.
Now that the home is complete, Carley and her family use it as a way to educate others about sustainability. They host tours, welcome student groups and give presentations about sustainable living. Visitors can learn how the home functions and explore new ways of thinking about environmental stewardship.
“It’s really about hospitality and community,” she said. “We want people to see what’s possible and start thinking about different ways we can care for our planet.”
Carley sees strong connections between the sustainable life she is building today and the Benedictine values she experienced at Saint Ben’s. Stewardship, hospitality, community and justice are all values she carries with her.
“I’ve always been someone who is justice-oriented,” she said. “Standing up for others and thinking about how things could be done differently has always been part of who I am.”
She also credits Saint Ben’s unique environment as a women’s college with helping her find her voice.
“It was such a unique experience to be in a place that was intentionally focused on mentoring and supporting young women,” she said. “That empowerment stays with you.”
When asked what she values most about Saint Ben’s, Carley returns to one simple but powerful idea: community.
“There’s just this connection when you meet another Bennie or Johnnie,” she said. “It’s an immediate sense of trust and shared experience.”
That community continues to inspire her today as she mentors others, opens her home to visitors and raises her children to think critically about the world around them.
As a member of the Class of 2011, this is also Carley’s reunion year. In June, she and her husband, Chad Castellanos, will return to campus to present together during reunion weekend. Their session, “Earthship Gozadera,” will share the story of building their off-the-grid home and invite fellow Bennies to explore new possibilities for sustainable living.
And if she could choose how she is remembered?
“As someone who was kind, caring and always willing to help others,” she said.
It’s a legacy that reflects the spirit of Saint Ben’s — and one that continues to shine through the life she’s building today.