Josh Arnold ’01: Purpose Found in Community

Josh Arnold ’01 has had many meaningful experiences far beyond his hometown of Wolfeboro, N.H. After graduating from Brewster as a day student and Lifer, he earned a degree in Global Sustainability from Wheaton College in Norton, Mass., becoming the first in his family to graduate from college. From there, he worked at Tennessee’s Bonnaroo Music Festival—one of the largest in the U.S.—and later served as a United Nations International Youth Delegate in Washington, D.C.

For someone so globally minded, it might seem surprising that Josh chose to open a makerspace and community organization, Makers Mill, in his hometown. But he would be the first to emphasize the power of focusing locally—and the impact he’s had on Wolfeboro speaks for itself.

Cooper Series Speaker
In May 2025, Josh returned to Brewster as the 2025 Cooper Series speaker. The Cooper Series, named in honor of former Head of School Michael Cooper, invites innovative voices to inspire the campus community. On May 9, Josh took the stage in Anderson Hall, sharing his journey with students through stories, lessons learned, and even a few throwback yearbook photos.

During his four years at Brewster, Josh was a student leader and credits much of his success to the foundation laid in high school.

“The learning model at Brewster is all about building agency and asking the right questions through exploration and discovery,” Josh told the student body. “I’m certain that’s what helped me have the confidence to carve my own path instead of taking a predetermined route.”

He spoke of the pivotal experiences in his “meandering journey.” A gig as Recycling Manager at Bonnaroo (initially motivated by free concert tickets) left a lasting impression due to the sheer volume of waste—and the reminder of what’s possible when people come together with a unified goal.

Wanting to tackle sustainability on a more global scale, Josh became a U.N. Youth Delegate. Once again, he credited Brewster with helping prepare him to collaborate with people from all over the world. But not long into his work, one statistic shifted his thinking: Though the U.S. accounts for just 5% of the global population, it uses 25% of the world’s resources.

“For me, it was like, ‘Who am I to write policies telling other countries what to do when we have our own work to do?’” Josh said. “I packed up and went home. I kind of shifted from the global approach to a more local approach.”

Local Vision, Lasting Impact
Back in New Hampshire, Josh founded GALA: Global Action Local Awareness. He began with small, tangible steps—converting his car to run on vegetable oil, starting a local food pantry, and turning an old Grange Hall into a vibrant community hub with music, puppet shows, films, and educational events.

“Just start something and get your hands dirty. You don’t have to have it all figured out,” he advised students. “It’s important to let ideas ripen and go at the pace that they’re meant to.”

Eventually, those ideas blossomed into the concept for a community makerspace. But Josh was adamant that the vision needed to come from the people it would serve.

“There are no shortcuts,” he told students. “We said, ‘We’re going to do the real work, bring people together, and have conversations about what they want to see in a makerspace.’”

For nearly a decade, he facilitated those conversations—through study circles, town halls, and community events.

“Never doubt the power of a compelling vision,” Josh said. “There’s only one thing more powerful than your vision, and that’s the community vision.”

GALA changed their name to Makers Mill, and in 2017, purchased a 10,000-square-foot space at 23 Bay St. in Wolfeboro. They converted the building into a thriving makerspace, and it continues to grow and evolve. Today, it offers classes and events for all ages—ranging from after-school programs and adaptive arts to robotics and electronics. It has also hosted several opportunities for Brewster students, with more collaborations ahead. You can view more of their mission and work on their website: www.makersmill.org.

While the programs continue to grow, one thing remains central:

“One of the most profound things that people are making is relationships,” Josh said. “To me, that’s the most exciting thing.”

He ended his talk with a word of encouragement about discovering one’s purpose.

“There’s so much pressure on finding your purpose,” Josh said. “Just commit to a path with your passions and interests, and you’ll find your purpose in that.”