Alumni Profile

Alumnus Named to Board of Trustees

BBENSON@bridgew.edu — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 19:56:25 +0000

Alumnus Named to Board of Trustees BBENSON@bridgew.edu Wed, 09/04/2024 - 15:56

Mike Vieira seeks to replicate his campus experience for today’s students

September 5, 2024

Brian Benson, G'23

When it came time to pursue a college education, Dr. Mike Vieira, ’75, G’82, had a dream school in mind: ��ϲ� State.

Vieira’s favorite schoolteachers had earned their degrees as Bears, so ��ϲ� immediately stood out to the aspiring educator.

“��ϲ� was the place,” said Vieira, who studied English as an undergraduate and earned a master's degree in teaching English. “I often say it was life-changing, and it was in a bunch of ways.”

After several decades teaching middle school, high school and college students, Vieira is gaining a new perspective on his alma mater as a member of the Board of Trustees. Vieira has served on the ��ϲ� Alumni Association Board since 2015, and his fellow board members elected him to become the university’s newest trustee.

“I’m honored to be in this position, and I look forward to representing the alumni to the best of my abilities for as long as I can,” he said.

As a ��ϲ� student, Vieira joined the Campus Comment student newspaper at the urging of a professor. He quickly fell in love with journalism and publishing, from writing stories to laying out pages to thriving in the sometimes-chaotic newsroom. His first article was on the 1973 resignation of U.S. Vice President Spiro Agnew.

Vieira taught English and journalism for 20 years at Fall River’s Durfee High School, where he advised Durfee’s student publications.

“It all goes back to ��ϲ�,” he said. “I created a newsroom atmosphere that really replicated the Comment.”

He went on to work as an assistant professor of computer information systems and an administrator at Bristol Community College. Vieira helped organize international trips that provided community college students with global perspectives similar to those he gained at ��ϲ� on a trip to Portugal.

Today, ��ϲ� students continue to benefit from the global education, hands-on lessons, and individual support which Vieira experienced as a Bear, and subsequently based his teaching career on.

“In a lot of ways, it’s paying it forward,” he said of being an educator. “I always try to keep an eye on those students who need that little extra push. ... You are responsible for helping develop future citizens and future leaders.”

Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu.

��ϲ� was the place. I often say it was life-changing, and it was in a bunch of ways.

Dr. Mike Vieira, ’75, G’82

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Alumni Profile

Photo by Kendell French, '25

Community Servant

BBENSON@bridgew.edu — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 14:24:11 +0000

Community Servant BBENSON@bridgew.edu Tue, 08/13/2024 - 10:24

Double bear earns praise and award for role with local police and fire departments

August 15, 2024

Brian Benson, G'23

Christina LaRose, ’12, G’14, is often on the front lines of emergency response, but she’s not a police officer or firefighter. Instead, the social worker brings a unique skillset honed during her time at ��ϲ�.

“I’m so grateful for the school and everything I’ve gotten out of it,” said LaRose, an award-winning community response social worker for Foxboro’s police and fire departments. “It was probably the best decision I could have made.”

LaRose knew she wanted to pursue a career in social work from a young age. As a teenager, she worked at a nursing home and enjoyed conversing with the residents and social services staff. LaRose thought she would always work with seniors, but her ��ϲ� education highlighted the field’s breadth.

“Going to ��ϲ� really opened up my eyes to all of the opportunities,” she said, particularly praising courses with Dr. Kathy Bailey. “She helped me understand more of what was available and gave me really good skills to go into the work and not burn myself out.”

At BSU, LaRose learned to serve individual clients by meeting them where they are. She also graduated with an understanding of how to create broad change through public policy. And, as a student employee in Central Receiving and Inventory Management, she learned the value of relationships.

After working in elder services for two towns, LaRose became the first social worker for Foxboro’s public safety departments last year. Her appointment comes as a growing number of agencies add social workers to their teams.

LaRose offers a new perspective while responding to emergency calls. She connects people facing mental health crises with the appropriate resources and prevents unneeded hospital stays. Her clients could include a teenager who ran away from home, a domestic violence victim, or a senior coming home from the hospital to a refrigerator with spoiled food.

Her efforts have led to fewer 911 calls from Foxboro’s frequent callers. And her contributions have not gone unnoticed.

LaRose received the Civilian Achievement Award from the Massachusetts Association of Women in Law Enforcement. The association cited her work to improve data tracking, commitment to a job that is not 9-5, and efforts to establish a human trafficking-response team.

She is a “fierce advocate for those who have been affected by both domestic and sexual violence,” the association wrote in an announcement of her award.

LaRose was humbled by the recognition.

“I was blown away,” she said. “I have so much gratitude for the officers who considered me for the award and see the value in this. It was really heartwarming.”

But the real reward comes when LaRose sees a client doing much better.

“Getting them the support they need. ...That’s what keeps me coming back,” she said.

Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu.

I’m so grateful for the school and everything I’ve gotten out of it. It was probably the best decision I could have made.

Christina LaRose, ’12, G’14

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Quite the Racket!

HHARRIS@bridgew.edu — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 17:22:49 +0000

Quite the Racket! HHARRIS@bridgew.edu Mon, 08/05/2024 - 13:22

Graduate alumna now a pro pickleball player

August 6, 2024

Heather Harris Michonski

At an age when most athletes have retired, 52-year-old Carolyn Weed, G’21, is just getting started.

She spent 25 years playing in the United States Tennis Association league, but as she got older and suffered a knee injury, Weed knew her tennis career was fading. Yet, she wasn’t ready to give up playing.

While pursuing a graduate degree in physical education from ��ϲ�, Weed was hearing things about a new sport similar to tennis. Intrigued, she did some research.

“I wanted to know what this silly pickleball thing was,” she said.

Weed found a local league and started attending open sessions. It didn’t take her long to pick up the ins and outs of the game, and soon she was entering and winning tournaments.

That’s when the National Pickle Ball league came calling. The league was created for pro players ages 50 and older.

She was invited to a combine and after an impressive tryout, signed up by the Austin Ignite team.

Today, she and her teammates travel the country and play against other teams.

“Here I am at 52-years-old playing a sport at a pro level,” Weed said. “Six years ago, I wouldn’t have believed it.”

The mother of two has never let age stand in the way of reaching her goals. After embarking on a career in teaching and coaching, Weed decided a few years ago it was time to go back and get her master’s degree.

While enrolled in BSU’s master’s in physical education program she combined it with the school’s Professional Tennis Management certificate program.

“I was part of the first cohort of the (tennis) program,” Weed said. “I’m all for learning about tennis and the industry, and you never know what your second career will be.”

From getting her master’s degree to turning pickleball pro, Weed said her second act has been nothing short of amazing and the support she’s received from family and her students has been overwhelmingly positive. Especially from her group of friends.

“It’s been outstanding,” Weed said. “I surround myself with people who are all achieving and putting in the work, in whatever they do. You rise to the people you surround yourself with.”

Would she eventually like to see BSU field a pickleball team? She would be surprised if they didn’t, as the sport continues to grow at a rapid pace.

“It’s already happening on the collegiate level. They are mostly club teams right now, but you’re also seeing high school teams forming in other states,” she said. “There is so much to love about this sport.”

Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu

I surround myself with people who are all achieving and putting in the work, in whatever they do. You rise to the people you surround yourself with.

Carolyn Weed, G'21

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Love of Language

HHARRIS@bridgew.edu — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 17:32:08 +0000

Love of Language HHARRIS@bridgew.edu Fri, 07/26/2024 - 13:32

Alumna finds passion in TESOL instruction and helping others

July 30, 2024

Heather Harris Michonski

Ten years after graduating from high school Jolie Streeter-Duczkowski, ’21, decided it was time to go back to school and enrolled in a local community college.

“I was a teen mom,” Streeter-Duczkowski said. “For ten years, from the ages of 18 to 28, I had this feeling like I had wasted all my potential (in terms of my education). I felt that I had done everything wrong.”

It was through volunteering and helping others in her Taunton community that her mindset began to shift.

She volunteered at a language learners community center, teaching English to non-English speaking students.

“Helping others that were also feeling vulnerable helped me see that by empowering others, I can empower myself,” she said.

After transferring to ��ϲ� to study English with a minor in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), she signed up to work as a tutor in the school’s Academic Achievement Center.

“I like doing two things, helping people and answering questions,” she said. “So, I found teaching and tutoring to be a good fit.”

After earning her undergraduate degree, she decided to continue her education and is currently enrolled in BSU’s graduate TESOL program.

As a student she gravitated toward helping multilingual students and worked in what was then called second language services.

Over time, she began to believe the name of the center was confusing, so Streeter-Duczkowski set out to change it and hopefully clear things up.

This past year, thanks to her efforts, the name of the center was changed to, “Tutoring for Multilingual Students.”

The name change has yielded positive results.

“We have fewer people coming in for mistaken reasons,” she said. “It helps to ensure that appointment times are being reserved for the correct type of help.”

To further help students, Streeter-Duczkowski organized BSU’s first multilingual fair in March. She collaborated with the Martin Richard Institute for Social Justice, student-run organizations, BSU’s navigator program, the Pride Center, and other community members to pull it all together.

More than 80 students attended the event where they learned about the different resources BSU offers, and there were also raffles, prizes, and gift bags.

All in all, it was a success.

As she works toward her master’s degree, Streeter-Duczkowski will continue to support BSU students, creating spaces for those who may be struggling.

“College is about finding your group, your community where you can be yourself, that’s how you grow as a person,” she said.

Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu

College is about finding your group, your community where you can be yourself, that’s how you grow as a person.

Jolie Streeter-Duczkowski, ’21

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Student Spotlight

Colorful Message

BBENSON@bridgew.edu — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 15:47:48 +0000

Colorful Message BBENSON@bridgew.edu Wed, 07/24/2024 - 11:47

Alumnus-artist paints campus mural celebrating community

July 25, 2024

Brian Benson, G'23

Turned off by the rigidity of his high school art classes, Mark Carvalho, ’01, almost abandoned his interest in visual arts. But a ��ϲ� State painting class helped him rediscover that passion – and his future career.

The course, taught by Dr. Stephen Smalley, was inspirational. Rather than being overbearing with requirements, Smalley guided students in bringing out their individual creativity.

“He taught in a very open and free way,” recalled Carvalho, who was pursuing a degree in aviation but switched to fine arts. “It was really refreshing and sparked something in me.”

Today, Carvalho is an art educator himself and a street artist going by the name Boston Maki. He recently returned to his alma mater to paint a mural through an initiative organized by BSU’s Spirit Committee.

The 30-by-7-foot work, located between the bookstore and Dunkin’ inside East Campus Commons, features three bear faces that pay homage to BSU’s mascot. Carvalho spent 30 hours on campus creating the mural. After installing a black primer coat, he applied spray paint using a stencil to create intricate details of each bear’s face.

The three bears are unique in color and composition, something Carvalho said is meant to symbolize the diversity of the BSU community. He hopes the thousands of students who walk by his creation draw their own meaning.

“I designed it so it’s not ambiguous, but maybe makes people want to tell a story when they look at it,” he said.

For Alexis Conley, ’99, G’14, the mural symbolizes how everyone – no matter their background – is a Bear.

“We really wanted this to be a unique piece of art,” said Conley, who co-chairs the Spirit Committee and is assistant director of alumni relations. “I thought it was such a fantastic way to showcase one of our own alumni.”

Carvalho’s street art has taken him to Miami, New York City and Costa Rica. He predominately paints in New Bedford, where he helped city officials appreciate the vibrancy street art brings to otherwise mundane things such as vacant buildings and electrical boxes.

He also teaches at Whaling City Alternative Junior/Senior High School, a New Bedford school serving at-risk students. As he works with students who struggled in traditional schools, Carvalho thinks back to lessons learned at ��ϲ�.

“Coming into this job, I took the approach Dr. Smalley took: ‘I’m going to foster your creativity,’” he said, noting his students are a lot like himself. “They thrive in a different environment. I’ve got some kids creating great artwork that wouldn’t have participated before.”

Carvalho is excited to see so much public art at BSU, including bear statues and a tunnel mural painted by students and alumni.

“It’s amazing,” he said of showcasing the creativity of members of the ��ϲ� community. “You’re building a sense of school pride. You’re showing students that these things can be done.”

Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu.

I designed it so it’s not ambiguous, but maybe makes people want to tell a story when they look at it.

Mark Carvalho, ’01

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Arts

One Good Turn, Then Another

HHARRIS@bridgew.edu — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 13:46:45 +0000

One Good Turn, Then Another HHARRIS@bridgew.edu Wed, 07/10/2024 - 09:46

Alumna experienced homelessness. Now she helps others in need

July 16, 2024

Heather Harris Michonski

During her senior year at ��ϲ�, Elizabeth Miller, ’19, found herself experiencing homelessness. Naturally, it wasn’t easy. However, she was able to persevere after receiving help from BSU.

“They went above and beyond to make sure I was supported,” Miller said.

She applied for and received a scholarship that allowed her to move into an apartment and continue her education.

“��ϲ� State really does its best to support students, and I mean outside of academics,” Miller said. “For them to care about my living situation, it’s something I’ve never forgotten.”

Today, armed with a BSU degree in social work, Miller is in a position where she is now the one offering support to others as a full-time social worker and substance-abuse program coordinator for the town of Hingham.

She sums up her M.O. with these simple words: “I work hard to help as many people as possible.”

In her role, she helps local residents find the resources to deal with things such as food insecurity, clothing needs, and fuel assistance. She also helps individuals with job applications, cover letters and resumes.

“I like to be able to provide people with as much advocacy and resources as possible,” Miller said.

As the town’s substance-abuse program coordinator, she also accesses state funding to help with harm reduction, prevention, treatment and recovery for those experiencing substance abuse.

“My job is to come up with programs, ideas, scholarships…any sort of initiative that will help in this area,” Miller said.

Ultimately, helping others is what drives her.

“I truly feel that this is my calling, making sure people are equipped with information and the knowledge they need to be successful,” Miller said.

Seeing people able to move forward once they have the right support, that’s what it’s all about, she added.

“It’s the small successes,” she said. “In social work, you may never be able to solve all problems, but seeing small successes, just making someone’s life easier, that’s rewarding knowing I’m putting forth my best effort to help anybody that I can.”

Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu

I like to be able to provide people with as much advocacy and resources as possible.

Elizabeth Miller, '19

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‘Prepared for the Future’

BBENSON@bridgew.edu — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 15:11:25 +0000

‘Prepared for the Future’ BBENSON@bridgew.edu Tue, 07/02/2024 - 11:11

Recent alumnus excelling at Boston tech start-up

July 3, 2024

Brian Benson, G'23

Joseph Defendre, ’24, arrived at BSU with an interest in technology but little knowledge of computer programming. He recently graduated with the confidence that he can excel in a programming job.

And the computer science major is already proving his abilities thanks to a special fellowship and internship.

“The difficulty of the computer science program really prepared me for tasks passed on to me in my current role,” said Defendre, who overcame doubts at ��ϲ� State about his ability to succeed. “That adversity prepared me to accept any challenge in the workplace.”

Before he studies artificial intelligence in graduate school at Northeastern University, Defendre is spending the summer interning for WHOOP. The Boston-based company develops wearable fitness trackers used by professional athletes like LeBron James, as well as everyday consumers. Defendre works on a team supporting the company’s Android app.

The internship is one component of the Hack.Diversity fellowship, an initiative striving to increase representation for Black and Latinx people in the technology workforce. Fellows such as Defendre complete technical projects and also study resume writing, networking, salary negotiation, and the impact of race in the workplace.

The organization’s mission resonated with Defendre, who noted the difficulty of “people like us to get our foot in the door.”

Defendre immigrated to the U.S. from Haiti with his family at age 7. His classmates and a high school teacher recommended attending BSU.

“I’ve seen the sacrifices my parents had to make to get me where I am,” said Defendre, a first-generation college student. “I always felt obligated to not let them down.”

But his journey to a bachelor’s degree wasn’t straightforward. Having joined the Army National Guard when he was 17, Defendre temporarily withdrew from BSU. As he focused on his military duties, Drs. John Santore and Margaret Black, both computer science professors, remained invaluable sources of guidance.

“I couldn’t have made it without these people,” he said, also praising Military and Veteran Student Services staff. “Because of their support and constant emails and pointing me in the right direction, I was able to enroll back in ��ϲ� State.”

As a Bear, he formed close friendships, persevered through challenging mathematics classes, and learned in-demand skills from computer science professors who were committed to his success.

Despite studying a different programming language than the one he uses at WHOOP, Defendre said he developed the foundational skills to adapt to any software job.

“I think ��ϲ� had a huge impact on how I turned out on a professional level as well as my social development,” he said. “I feel prepared for the future.”

Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu.

I think ��ϲ� had a huge impact on how I turned out on a professional level as well as my social development. I feel prepared for the future.

Joseph Defendre, ’24

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Internships

Racial Justice

BSU Works

Scouting Out Success

HHARRIS@bridgew.edu — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 11:34:05 +0000

Scouting Out Success HHARRIS@bridgew.edu Tue, 06/25/2024 - 07:34

Alumnus finds his true calling on the NFL sidelines

June 25, 2024

Heather Harris Michonski

Fresh out of college Joshua Pierrejean, ’17, started a career in corporate sales, but deep down he wasn’t satisfied. It wasn’t until a friend, who coached college football, invited him over to watch game film that the lightbulb went off.

The two friends sat together and went over plays on the screen in front of them. Five hours passed before Jean realized how late it was and that night had turned into early morning.

“That’s when I realized I needed to make a change,” the ��ϲ� alumnus said. “I was making a lot of money but wasn’t happy with what I was doing. That’s when I started reaching out to my former contacts.”

It didn’t happen overnight, but his networking paid off. Today Pierrejean works as a scouting assistant in the NFL for the Arizona Cardinals.

“I love what I do – watching film, being around the game…even though the hours can be long, it’s something I’m passionate about,” he said.

Raised in Mattapan, Pierrejean said he was an inner-city kid who loved to play sports. He credits his mother, Joselene, for instilling in him a strong work ethic.

“I owe a lot of my success to my mom,” he said.

In third grade Pierrejean started playing soccer then made the switch to football in seventh grade. In ninth grade he also took up track.

His athleticism caught the attention of area colleges, BSU being one of them.

Off the field, Pierrejean studied and earned a degree in business administration and management with a minor in accounting and finance. He also was involved in the BSU Men’s Integrated Brotherhood, a black male initiative group.

“Being involved required me to be detailed oriented…you have to have those skills to play multiple sports, go to school and participate in activities,” he said.

While at ��ϲ�, he continued to network.

“��ϲ� State has a large network of people who have gone on to do big things in the football world, there are people coaching in the NFL and college,” Pierrejean said.

When switching gears from corporate sales to football, he learned of a volunteer opportunity at Boston College which led to him being hired as a skills coach.

While moving up the ranks to full-time recruiter analyst, he simultaneously earned his master’s in sports administration from BC. Pierrejean was next hired as assistant director of player personnel for the school’s football program.

One of his contacts then approached him with another possibility, a position working in the NFL.

“It’s been a blessing to have the opportunities I’ve had. I’ve been part of great teams with great coaches and ultimately have been able to hit the goals I’ve set for myself,” Jean said.

The most important piece of advice he would offer a BSU student looking to create their own success?

“You’ve got to be prepared and take the opportunities, be ready to make a move,” he said. “It’s also really important that you make connections. Network and be conscious of your surroundings. Do a good job in school…all of these things play a factor.”

Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu

You've got to be prepared and take the opportunities, be ready to make a move. It's also really important that you make connections. Network and be conscious of your surroundings. Do a good job in school...all of these things play a factor.

Joshua Pierrejean, '17

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The Whole World in Her Hands

BBENSON@bridgew.edu — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 17:46:35 +0000

The Whole World in Her Hands BBENSON@bridgew.edu Tue, 06/18/2024 - 13:46

Alumna finds her place working in geography department

June 27, 2024

Brian Benson, G'23

As a geography student, Courtney Sutcliffe, ’14, G’18, had what she described as the coolest job in the world.

Sutcliffe joined a team of ��ϲ� State students and faculty who brought a giant globe to schools across the region. The globe, called EarthView, inflates to create a two-story-tall classroom via which students see continents and oceans in a new way.

“It’s this jaw-dropping moment,” said Sutcliffe, who is now leading Project EarthView. “It’s something that has a wow factor. There’s no other time when you’re inside of the Earth looking out.”

Sutcliffe would know. In 2009, when EarthView at BSU was in its infancy, she was one of those wide-eyed students enthralled by the massive globe filling her high school gymnasium in Middleboro. She didn’t know then that she would pursue a career in geography.

But Courtney remembered the name of Dr. Vernon Domingo, a ��ϲ� professor who led her EarthView session. As a BSU student unsure of her major, Sutcliffe saw Domingo’s name on the course schedule. She enrolled in his physical geography class and became hooked on a discipline that was about much more than capitals, landforms and waterways.

“Choosing geography was almost like choosing it all,” she said, referencing the discipline’s multiple opportunities to study people and their cultures and religions. “Geographers are naturally curious people. We just want to know everything, and the classes and professors were really interesting.”

Sutcliffe enjoyed local field trips and a journey to Nicaragua. She went on to earn a master’s degree from BSU in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and taught in Florida before returning to Massachusetts in 2022.

For the past year, she ran EarthView alongside Dr. James Hayes-Bohanan. Now, she is taking over the EarthView program, which features two large globes and a series of floor maps.

Sutcliffe, who also teaches part-time in the Department of Geography, brings a strong understanding of the varied facets of the discipline. She has the right blend of flexibility, maturity and patience to work with diverse groups of youngsters, according to her one-time professors.

“She has a very broad appreciation of what geography is,” Hayes-Bohanan said. “She really gets it.”

Added Domingo, who is now retired: “Courtney is excellent for this role. Very few people could just run with it.”

Sutcliffe already made an impact by more fully involving today’s student employees in teaching EarthView participants. She hopes to grow the program so it reaches additional youngsters, some of whom may – like herself – one day study geography at BSU.

“��ϲ� has been woven through my life,” Sutcliffe said. “I just think it’s a really special place.”

Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu.

��ϲ� has been woven through my life. I just think it’s a really special place.

Courtney Sutcliffe, ’14, G’18

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Main photo by Harvey K. Hayes

The Road He’s Taking

HHARRIS@bridgew.edu — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 14:54:32 +0000

The Road He’s Taking HHARRIS@bridgew.edu Wed, 06/12/2024 - 10:54

After reading about a ‘voyage,’ this alumnus discovered the world

June 18, 2024

Heather Harris Michonski

Evan Hacker, ‘13, always noticed the globe sculpture sitting in front of Boyden Hall and one day decided to take a closer look.

Underneath the globe was a plaque with a poem titled, “One Final Voyage,” written by alumna Rosamaria Carlozzi, ’93.

The poem encouraged those reading it to, “forge international connections, travel and converse, with those who came from places uniquely diverse.”

“Reading what it said was reassuring,” he said. “I was interested in traveling and seeing the world but nervous about taking the risk. But when I read that, knowing someone else at ��ϲ� (State University), who had stood in the same location as me, it encouraged me.”

Before arriving at BSU, the Easton native attended Columbia College in Chicago, an art school where he explored music.

“I liked working with other musicians on songs but found I didn’t enjoy the business aspect of the music business,” Hacker said.

During this period, he also spent much of his time in the Chicago Public Library where he gravitated towards history book. As he poured over page after page, it reignited his passion for knowledge of the past.

It was then he decided to move back to Massachusetts, the “home of American history,” as he described it.

“I switched my major to history and heard ��ϲ� had a very good program, and that’s what led me to BSU,” he said.

Hacker was confident that studying history would strengthen his reading and writing skills. It would also include some travelling, of which he is especially fond of.

Hacker enrolled in different language classes, but it was when a peer suggested he try taking a Chinese class that things clicked.

“I was always drawn to Chinese culture, even as a kid…the art, the sounds, the music,” he said. “It introduced me to a different world and made me realize there were different cultures out there to explore.”

Hacker joined BSU’s international Club which introduced him to international students and professors, such as Dr. Wing-Kai To, assistant provost for Global Engagement and senior international officer.

It was To who encouraged him to apply for a scholarship that would allow him to participate in an 8-week intensive course at Beijing Jiaotong University.

“That was a game changer,” Hacker said of the experience. “Every day was a challenge, a puzzle for me to figure out how to navigate the society there.”

Back on the BSU campus, he also worked as an English as a Second Language tutor for international students.

“That was my first real teaching experience, and I found I really enjoyed it because I could see I was making their lives easier,” he said.

After graduating from BSU, when an opportunity presented itself to teach English in China, Hacker jumped at the chance.

He moved to Shaoxing, China, where he worked for nearly eight years as an American culture professor at YueXiu University of Foreign Languages.

While there he also promoted BSU, making Chinese students aware of the opportunities the university offers international students. He even met with Dr. To and President Frederick W. Clark Jr, who traveled to China in 2017 to participate in an expo in Shanghai.

Outside of work, China took on a more significant role for Hacker who met and married his wife, Juliette, there. Even his dog, Jack, is originally from China.

The couple now resides in North Carolina but travel back often to visit with family and friends.

He’s currently teaching online and taking public speaking gigs where he shares his international knowledge with like-minded peers and organizations.

And of course, Hacker is always on the hunt for new travel opportunities.

“You never know what you will experience when you travel, whether it’s good or bad…go into it with an open mind and learn from everything that happens,” he said.

Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu

You never know what you will experience when you travel, whether it’s good or bad…go into it with an open mind and learn from everything that happens.

Evan Hacker, '16

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