Honors Program / en Higher Calling /stories/2023/higher-calling <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Higher Calling</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span lang about="/users/bbensonbridgewedu" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype>BBENSON@bridgew.edu</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2023-11-16T08:57:52-05:00" title="Thursday, November 16, 2023 - 08:57" class="datetime">Thu, 11/16/2023 - 08:57</time> </span> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-short-description-v2 field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Peer leader focused on giving back </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <time datetime="2023-11-16T12:00:00Z" class="datetime">November 16, 2023</time> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Brian Benson, G'23 </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>As a first-generation student and an immigrant from Trinidad, <strong>Cindy Mack</strong>, ’23, ’24, has seen firsthand the power of public higher education to transform lives. Now, he’s doing his part, representing his peers as a member of the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education. &nbsp;</p> <p>“I can’t repay ϲ for what it’s done for not just my academic but personal wellbeing,” said Cindy, who earned a degree in criminal justice and is pursuing a second bachelor’s in political science. “This is how I can say ‘thank you’ and give back.” &nbsp;</p> <p>Cindy has long been involved in representing his peers. As a Massasoit Community College student, he successfully advocated for a change in state law to allow part-time students to serve in student positions on their institutions’ boards of trustees. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>And, as a member and now chairperson of the statewide Student Advisory Council, Cindy pushed for expanded use of Open Educational Resources (OER) instead of expensive textbooks. Students attending public universities and colleges in the state saved $7.6 million in one recent year because of OER. &nbsp;</p> <p>“I know ϲ is heavily invested in OER,” said Cindy, who was recently sworn in as a voting member of the Board of Higher Education. “I’m very proud of that because it’s what is giving me opportunities to learn and not have to be burdened by the cost of textbooks.”</p> <div data-embed-button="media_entity_embed" data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:media.full" data-entity-embed-display-settings="[]" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="89f2719d-ec74-4ac4-8753-548b72390db0" data-langcode="en" class="align-right embedded-entity"> <div class="ckeditor-media-class"> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="blazy blazy--field blazy--field-media-image blazy--field-media-image--full field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__items" data-blazy> <div class="field__item"> <div data-b-token="b-f79094f7fac" class="media media--blazy media--image is-b-loading"><img alt="Cindy Mack takes an oath of office" decoding="async" class="media__element b-lazy" loading="lazy" data-src="/sites/bridgew/files/media/images/mack1.jpg" src="/sites/bridgew/files/media/images/image-loading.gif"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p>Cindy, who moved to the U.S. 22 years ago, didn’t think American higher education was in his future. But his brother urged him to enroll in classes at Massasoit, which led him to BSU. &nbsp;</p> <p>“It’s a personal journey,” Cindy said. “It’s a humbling opportunity to achieve the things I have been able to achieve with the support of Massasoit and ϲ. … Going back to school saved me from having a mental breakdown. It gave me a purpose.” &nbsp;</p> <p>Soon after starting at ϲ, Cindy learned three family members were murdered in Trinidad. Thinking he would need to take a leave of absence, Cindy instead discovered flexible faculty willing to help him in the face of tragedy. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>For his honors thesis, Cindy produced a documentary exploring the LGBTQIA+ community in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, where same-sex intimacy was historically a criminal act and transphobia and homophobia remain pervasive. He received funding from BSU to travel to his home country and conduct interviews.</p> <p>“As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, it’s hard to be here and see that where you’re from it’s a criminal offense,” Cindy said. “It’s a human rights issue.” &nbsp;</p> <p>Cindy appreciated the encouragement of many faculty including thesis advisor <strong>Emily Brissette</strong> and part-time faculty member <strong>James Moore</strong>, who helped with the technical aspects of making the documentary. The Honors Program embraced an unconventional thesis format. &nbsp;</p> <p>This unwavering support, Cindy said, is emblematic of his ϲ experience and motivates him to serve at the state level. &nbsp;</p> <p>“ϲ has been there for me since the first semester,” he said. &nbsp;</p> <p><em>Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email <a href="mailto:stories@bridgew.edu">stories@bridgew.edu</a>.</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-hide-featured field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> No </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div class="ckeditor-media-class"> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="blazy blazy--field blazy--field-media-image-9 blazy--field-media-image-9--image-max-470x470 field field--name-field-media-image-9 field--type-image field--label-hidden field__items" data-blazy> <div class="field__item"> <div data-b-token="b-e4286181053" class="media media--blazy media--image is-b-loading"><img alt="Cindy Mack talks with Gov. Maura Healey" decoding="async" class="media__element b-lazy" loading="lazy" data-src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/max_470x470/public/media/article_featured_image/mack2.jpg" src="/sites/bridgew/files/media/images/image-loading.gif"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-testimonial field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <section class="paragraph paragraph--type--testimonial paragraph---id--214951 scroll-reveal box1 paragraph--view-mode--default" aria-label="testimonial content id-214951"> <div class="media-wrapper"> <div class="media"> <div class="media-body"> <blockquote> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> I can’t repay ϲ for what it’s done for not just my academic but personal wellbeing. This is how I can say ‘thank you’ and give back. </div> </div> </blockquote> <div class="field field--name-field-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Cindy Mack, ’23, ’24 </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-inline field__items"> <div class="field__label">Tags</div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/2766" aria-label="Related stories tagged Student Spotlight" hreflang="en">Student Spotlight</a> </div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/tags/lgbtqia" aria-label="Related stories tagged LGBTQIA+" hreflang="en">LGBTQIA+</a> </div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/2804" aria-label="Related stories tagged Honors Program" hreflang="en">Honors Program</a> </div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/tags/first-gen" aria-label="Related stories tagged First Gen" hreflang="en">First Gen</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> Thu, 16 Nov 2023 13:57:52 +0000 BBENSON@bridgew.edu 250826 at Language Research /stories/2023/language-research <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Language Research</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span lang about="/users/bbensonbridgewedu" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype>BBENSON@bridgew.edu</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2023-05-26T12:43:42-04:00" title="Friday, May 26, 2023 - 12:43" class="datetime">Fri, 05/26/2023 - 12:43</time> </span> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-short-description-v2 field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Recent graduate's thesis helps him teach Spanish to high schoolers </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <time datetime="2023-05-30T12:00:00Z" class="datetime">May 30, 2023</time> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Brian Benson, G'23 </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>It didn’t take long for <strong>Jake Murray</strong>, ’23, to recognize the professional relevance of his undergraduate research. In fact, he had yet to even cross the commencement stage. &nbsp;</p> <p>The BSU <a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="b995d741-b1cb-4c23-ab7d-02305a0308f0" href="/department/global-languages-and-literatures" title="Department of Global Languages &amp; Literatures">Spanish</a> and <a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="68da7f29-4bcc-4d76-8136-943b2a4d1e0c" href="/department/secondary-education-and-educational-leadership" title="Department of Secondary Education &amp; Educational Leadership">secondary education</a> major studied two distinct ways of describing past actions in Spanish that are challenging for students to grasp. &nbsp;</p> <p>“I literally taught the difference in a Spanish class,” he said, recounting an experience student-teaching at Taunton High School. “What the research told me, I could see in front of me.” &nbsp;</p> <p>That research on the preterit and imperfect verb tenses, which was part of his honors thesis, represents a passion for the Spanish language that he developed as a student. Jake started learning Spanish in eighth grade and initially disliked it. As his language skills advanced, he became enthralled by Spanish literature, music, and art. &nbsp;</p> <p>For his thesis, Jake relied on sources in English and Spanish. He studied the historical Latin roots of the two verb tenses, linguistic differences, cultural impacts in the Spanish speaking world and strategies for teaching students. &nbsp;</p> <p>The project’s interdisciplinary nature impressed Dr. <strong>José Lara</strong>, an assistant professor of Spanish who co-mentored Jake. &nbsp;</p> <p>“This was a thesis that was research based and also applicable to the classroom,” Lara said. “He argued for a more wholistic understanding of these tenses and the importance of understanding them for students and educators alike.” &nbsp;</p> <p>Lara and Dr. <strong>Melissa Tobey LaBelle</strong>, an assistant professor of secondary education and educational leadership, recommended sources and even commented as Jake drafted his thesis. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>“They were crucial to my success,” he said. “We were discovering this knowledge together.” &nbsp;</p> <p>Research was rewarding in itself because of the freedom it offered, Jake said.</p> <p>“It is your idea, your interests, what you want to know more about,” he said. “This was the first time in my college career that professors were like, ‘It’s up to you.’ Though overwhelming at first, it was really empowering.” &nbsp;</p> <p>Now Jake is preparing to continue studying Spanish in graduate school at Universidad de Alcalá in Spain. He will also teach English while abroad. &nbsp;</p> <p>He then plans to return to the U.S. to teach Spanish – a career that he knows he is prepared for thanks to his BSU research and education. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>“I have this great privilege,” he said of becoming a Spanish educator who is not a native speaker. “I can not only share my passion with students but put myself in their shoes.” &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p><em>Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email <a href="mailto:stories@bridgew.edu">stories@bridgew.edu</a>.</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-hide-featured field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> No </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div class="ckeditor-media-class"> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="blazy blazy--field blazy--field-media-image-9 blazy--field-media-image-9--image-max-470x470 field field--name-field-media-image-9 field--type-image field--label-hidden field__items" data-blazy> <div class="field__item"> <div data-b-token="b-206ab7425c5" class="media media--blazy media--image is-b-loading"><img alt="Jake Murray stands in front of a white board in a classroom." decoding="async" class="media__element b-lazy" loading="lazy" data-src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/max_470x470/public/media/article_featured_image/spanish.png" src="/sites/bridgew/files/media/images/image-loading.gif"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-testimonial field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <section class="paragraph paragraph--type--testimonial paragraph---id--197616 scroll-reveal box1 paragraph--view-mode--default" aria-label="testimonial content id-197616"> <div class="media-wrapper"> <div class="media"> <div class="media-body"> <blockquote> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> It is your idea, your interests, what you want to know more about. This was the first time in my college career that professors were like, ‘It’s up to you.’ Though overwhelming at first, it was really empowering. </div> </div> </blockquote> <div class="field field--name-field-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Jake Murray, ’23, on participating in undergraduate research </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-inline field__items"> <div class="field__label">Tags</div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/tags/undergraduate-research" aria-label="Related stories tagged Undergraduate Research" hreflang="en">Undergraduate Research</a> </div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/2804" aria-label="Related stories tagged Honors Program" hreflang="en">Honors Program</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> Fri, 26 May 2023 16:43:42 +0000 BBENSON@bridgew.edu 249161 at Shared Lessons /stories/2023/shared-lessons <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Shared Lessons</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span lang about="/users/bbensonbridgewedu" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype>BBENSON@bridgew.edu</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2023-04-21T14:00:21-04:00" title="Friday, April 21, 2023 - 14:00" class="datetime">Fri, 04/21/2023 - 14:00</time> </span> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-short-description-v2 field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>Alumna and current undergraduate collaborate on salamander project</p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <time datetime="2023-04-27T12:00:00Z" class="datetime">April 27, 2023</time> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Brian Benson, G'23 </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>United by a love of salamanders and a passion for teaching, student <strong>Grace Leopold</strong>, ’24, and science teacher <strong>Julia Whalen</strong>, ’20, G’24, are teaming up to study the tiny amphibians and their predators.&nbsp;</p> <p>Grace, a <a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="1812ac34-0f63-4d1b-a4c5-c2888cee1700" href="/department/biological-sciences" title="Department of Biological Sciences">biology</a> and <a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="68da7f29-4bcc-4d76-8136-943b2a4d1e0c" href="/department/secondary-education-and-educational-leadership" title="Department of Secondary Education &amp; Educational Leadership">secondary education</a> major, created clay salamanders she placed in the Great Hill woods on ϲ’s campus. She hopes predators will seek out the “claymanders” and leave their bite marks in the clay. Cameras will also record what happens.&nbsp;</p> <p>Julia, who teaches at Carver Middle High School, is leading the same project with her students. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>“It lets them see school is something more than reading from a book and doing worksheets,” said Julia, who studied the same fields as Grace as a BSU undergraduate and is now pursuing a master’s degree in physical science. &nbsp;</p> <p>Grace and Julia praised Dr. <strong>Caitlin Fisher-Reid</strong>, an associate professor of biological sciences, for encouraging them to participate in undergraduate research. Fisher-Reid’s lab studies eastern red-backed salamanders through the Salamander Population and Adaptation Research Collaboration Network (SPARCnet), which includes researchers from as far away as Indiana and Virginia who aim to understand how environmental changes affect salamanders.&nbsp;</p> <p>In addition to Grace’s project with claymanders, BSU and Carver students track and measure living salamanders to better understand a species whose presence indicates a healthy forest.</p> <figure class="caption caption-drupal-entity align-right"> <div data-embed-button="media_entity_embed" data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:media.full" data-entity-embed-display-settings="[]" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="fd0fcad8-c8e4-4cf2-8ce6-ee6e1b44507b" data-langcode="en" class="embedded-entity"> <div class="ckeditor-media-class"> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="blazy blazy--field blazy--field-media-image blazy--field-media-image--full field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__items" data-blazy> <div class="field__item"> <div data-b-token="b-9c55903fe47" class="media media--blazy media--image is-b-loading"><img alt="A salamander made of clay with a red stripe sits on a leaf." decoding="async" class="media__element b-lazy" loading="lazy" data-src="/sites/bridgew/files/media/images/CarverClaymander.jpeg" src="/sites/bridgew/files/media/images/image-loading.gif"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <figcaption>A salamander made of clay</figcaption> </figure> <p>“I enjoy science I can look at and see with my eyes,” said Grace, who joined the lab after Julia graduated. “I love the people in the research lab. We’re always hanging out outside of the lab. And Caitlin is such a good mentor. I feel like I just hit the jackpot.”&nbsp;</p> <p>Julia can relate. She said a mix of lab experience and education classes helped her excel as a teacher.&nbsp;</p> <p>While she didn’t plan to continue salamander research after college, Julia realized it is a perfect topic for students enrolled in Carver’s environmental and agricultural sciences pathway. &nbsp;</p> <p>“They really enjoy getting outside and working with the salamanders,” said Julia, who received the 2022 Joann Blum Inspiration in Environmental Education Award from the Massachusetts Association of Science Teachers.&nbsp;</p> <p>The woods next to her school are an ideal classroom. That habitat features mostly pine trees, which differs from the mixed forest on BSU’s campus and mostly deciduous trees at other Massachusetts SPARCnet sites, Fisher-Reid said.&nbsp;</p> <p>“It’s awesome,” she said of Julia incorporating the research into her teaching. “I didn’t really think any of my students would do that. I’m happy when they get jobs. To have a student take an entire project and say, ‘I can do it with younger students,’ is a teacher’s dream.”&nbsp;</p> <p>Grace is excited to have data from Carver claymanders because it will help her draw better conclusions for her honors thesis about the salamander predators project. She even visited Julia’s classroom and worked with her students. &nbsp;</p> <p>“The most rewarding thing is being able to collaborate with Julia,” Grace said. “To learn from someone who has gone through exactly what I’m going through is super helpful.”&nbsp;</p> <p><em>Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email <a href="mailto:stories@bridgew.edu">stories@bridgew.edu</a>.</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-hide-featured field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> No </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div class="ckeditor-media-class"> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="blazy blazy--field blazy--field-media-image-9 blazy--field-media-image-9--image-max-470x470 field field--name-field-media-image-9 field--type-image field--label-hidden field__items" data-blazy> <div class="field__item"> <div data-b-token="b-2d923a0b93a" class="media media--blazy media--image is-b-loading"><img alt="Grace Leopold uses a measuring tape while placing clay salamanders in the woods." decoding="async" class="media__element b-lazy" loading="lazy" data-src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/max_470x470/public/media/article_featured_image/salamander1.jpg" src="/sites/bridgew/files/media/images/image-loading.gif"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-testimonial field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <section class="paragraph paragraph--type--testimonial paragraph---id--195001 scroll-reveal box1 paragraph--view-mode--default" aria-label="testimonial content id-195001"> <div class="media-wrapper"> <div class="media"> <div class="media-body"> <blockquote> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> I enjoy science I can look at and see with my eyes. I love the people in the research lab. We’re always hanging out outside of the lab. And Caitlin is such a good mentor. I feel like I just hit the jackpot. </div> </div> </blockquote> <div class="field field--name-field-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Grace Leopold, ’24 </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-inline field__items"> <div class="field__label">Tags</div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/tags/undergraduate-research" aria-label="Related stories tagged Undergraduate Research" hreflang="en">Undergraduate Research</a> </div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/2804" aria-label="Related stories tagged Honors Program" hreflang="en">Honors Program</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> Fri, 21 Apr 2023 18:00:21 +0000 BBENSON@bridgew.edu 248896 at Going Ape For Research /stories/2022/going-ape-research <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Going Ape For Research </span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span lang about="/users/bbensonbridgewedu" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype>BBENSON@bridgew.edu</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2022-12-16T13:48:23-05:00" title="Friday, December 16, 2022 - 13:48" class="datetime">Fri, 12/16/2022 - 13:48</time> </span> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-short-description-v2 field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Recent graduate studying primates&nbsp; </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <time datetime="2022-12-22T12:00:00Z" class="datetime">December 22, 2022</time> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Brian Benson </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p><span><span><strong><span><span>Mia Sarkisian</span></span></strong><span><span>, ’19, first developed an interest in orangutans when she read a story about them as a child. But she didn’t find a way to turn her passion into an integral part of her professional life until she came to ϲ.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>At BSU, Sarkisian met anthropology Professor <strong>Ellen Ingmanson</strong>, a biological anthropologist whose research focuses on primates, including orangutans and other types of apes.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>“I didn’t know anthropology was even a path for primate research,” said Sarkisian, who majored in anthropology and biology. “She took me under her wing and showed me how to do research and collect data.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>Sarkisian is now a graduate student in the primate behavior and ecology program at Central Washington University. She aspires to earn a doctoral degree and potentially become a professor, a career path that would allow her to teach while continuing the type of research she first explored as an honors student at BSU.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>“I would love to be a professor,” Sarkisian said. “I had amazing professors help me get where I am.”&nbsp; </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>With support from ϲ’s Adrian Tinsley Program, Sarkisian traveled to the Smithsonian Zoo in Washington, D.C., to study how a baby orangutan behaves and how its mother treats the baby. That work formed the basis for her honors thesis.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>Behavioral research is important because orangutans are endangered due to deforestation, poaching and other factors. Research helps humans support orphaned orangutans with the goal of preparing them to live in the wild, Sarkisian said.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>“We learn from research what they need to know to survive,” she said.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>Sarkisian also completed an internship at the Smithsonian Zoo exploring how orangutans and gorillas communicate. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>On the BSU campus, she gained laboratory skills studying salamanders with Dr. <strong>Caitlin Fisher-Reid</strong>. Meanwhile, Dr. Ingmanson offered projects and directed studies designed to meet Sarkisian's career aspirations.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>Sarkisian’s persistence and dedication are admirable and useful in a field where the research process is slow and requires significant time spent observing primates, Ingmanson said.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>“She asked questions and wanted to understand it and came back to find out more,” Ingmanson recalled. “It’s that curiosity, that need to know. It really is a need.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>Sarkisian’s biology and anthropology foundation built as a Bear was instrumental in preparing her for graduate school and helping her understand the biological and human factors affecting primates.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>“ϲ was super important to me,” she said. “They gave me the educational and financial resources to do this.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span></span></span></p> <p><em>Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email <a href="mailto:stories@bridgew.edu">stories@bridgew.edu</a>.</em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-hide-featured field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> No </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div class="ckeditor-media-class"> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="blazy blazy--field blazy--field-media-image-9 blazy--field-media-image-9--image-max-470x470 field field--name-field-media-image-9 field--type-image field--label-hidden field__items" data-blazy> <div class="field__item"> <div data-b-token="b-2c7ff5de325" class="media media--blazy media--image is-b-loading"><img alt="Mia Sarkisian, '19 smiles at camera with orangutan behind her and an image of her working with orangutan on other side" decoding="async" class="media__element b-lazy" loading="lazy" data-src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/max_470x470/public/media/article_featured_image/ape_story_0.jpg" src="/sites/bridgew/files/media/images/image-loading.gif"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-testimonial field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <section class="paragraph paragraph--type--testimonial paragraph---id--170341 scroll-reveal box1 paragraph--view-mode--default" aria-label="testimonial content id-170341"> <div class="media-wrapper"> <div class="media"> <div class="media-body"> <blockquote> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> I had amazing professors help me get where I am. </div> </div> </blockquote> <div class="field field--name-field-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Mia Sarkisian, ’19 </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-inline field__items"> <div class="field__label">Tags</div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/tags/alumni-profile" aria-label="Related stories tagged Alumni Profile" hreflang="en">Alumni Profile</a> </div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/2804" aria-label="Related stories tagged Honors Program" hreflang="en">Honors Program</a> </div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/tags/undergraduate-research" aria-label="Related stories tagged Undergraduate Research" hreflang="en">Undergraduate Research</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> Fri, 16 Dec 2022 18:48:23 +0000 BBENSON@bridgew.edu 247576 at Staging Change /stories/2022/staging-change <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Staging Change</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span lang about="/users/bbensonbridgewedu" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype>BBENSON@bridgew.edu</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2022-11-15T08:41:49-05:00" title="Tuesday, November 15, 2022 - 08:41" class="datetime">Tue, 11/15/2022 - 08:41</time> </span> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-short-description-v2 field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Theater production highlights climate-related topics </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <time datetime="2022-11-15T12:00:00Z" class="datetime">November 15, 2022</time> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Brian Benson </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-carousel-gallery field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <section class="paragraph paragraph--type--gallery-carousel paragraph---id--165761 paragraph--view-mode--default" aria-label="gallery carousel id-165761"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-images field--type-image field--label-hidden field__items" role="presentation" aria-label="department slideshow"> <div class="field__item"> <picture> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_large_desktop/public/media/gallery_carousel/play1.webp?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 1200px)" type="image/webp" width="1200" height="583"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_desktop/public/media/gallery_carousel/play1.webp?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (max-width: 1199px)" type="image/webp" width="1183" height="575"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_tablet/public/media/gallery_carousel/play1.webp?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 992px)" type="image/webp" width="951" height="462"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_small/public/media/gallery_carousel/play1.webp?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 768px)" type="image/webp" width="703" height="342"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_extra_small/public/media/gallery_carousel/play1.webp?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (max-width: 767px)" type="image/webp" width="511" height="249"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_large_desktop/public/media/gallery_carousel/play1.jpg?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 1200px)" type="image/jpeg" width="1200" height="583"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_desktop/public/media/gallery_carousel/play1.jpg?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (max-width: 1199px)" type="image/jpeg" width="1183" height="575"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_tablet/public/media/gallery_carousel/play1.jpg?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 992px)" type="image/jpeg" width="951" height="462"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_small/public/media/gallery_carousel/play1.jpg?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 768px)" type="image/jpeg" width="703" height="342"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_extra_small/public/media/gallery_carousel/play1.jpg?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (max-width: 767px)" type="image/jpeg" width="511" height="249"> <img loading="eager" src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_small/public/media/gallery_carousel/play1.jpg?h=de836872" alt="A student points into the air while wearing construction clothes"> </picture> </div> <div class="field__item"> <picture> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_large_desktop/public/media/gallery_carousel/play5.webp?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 1200px)" type="image/webp" width="1200" height="583"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_desktop/public/media/gallery_carousel/play5.webp?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (max-width: 1199px)" type="image/webp" width="1183" height="575"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_tablet/public/media/gallery_carousel/play5.webp?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 992px)" type="image/webp" width="951" height="462"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_small/public/media/gallery_carousel/play5.webp?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 768px)" type="image/webp" width="703" height="342"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_extra_small/public/media/gallery_carousel/play5.webp?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (max-width: 767px)" type="image/webp" width="511" height="249"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_large_desktop/public/media/gallery_carousel/play5.jpg?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 1200px)" type="image/jpeg" width="1200" height="583"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_desktop/public/media/gallery_carousel/play5.jpg?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (max-width: 1199px)" type="image/jpeg" width="1183" height="575"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_tablet/public/media/gallery_carousel/play5.jpg?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 992px)" type="image/jpeg" width="951" height="462"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_small/public/media/gallery_carousel/play5.jpg?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 768px)" type="image/jpeg" width="703" height="342"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_extra_small/public/media/gallery_carousel/play5.jpg?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (max-width: 767px)" type="image/jpeg" width="511" height="249"> <img loading="eager" src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_small/public/media/gallery_carousel/play5.jpg?h=de836872" alt="Three students look down on a seated student."> </picture> </div> <div class="field__item"> <picture> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_large_desktop/public/media/gallery_carousel/play4.webp?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 1200px)" type="image/webp" width="1200" height="583"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_desktop/public/media/gallery_carousel/play4.webp?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (max-width: 1199px)" type="image/webp" width="1183" height="575"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_tablet/public/media/gallery_carousel/play4.webp?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 992px)" type="image/webp" width="951" height="462"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_small/public/media/gallery_carousel/play4.webp?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 768px)" type="image/webp" width="703" height="342"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_extra_small/public/media/gallery_carousel/play4.webp?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (max-width: 767px)" type="image/webp" width="511" height="249"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_large_desktop/public/media/gallery_carousel/play4.jpg?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 1200px)" type="image/jpeg" width="1200" height="583"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_desktop/public/media/gallery_carousel/play4.jpg?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (max-width: 1199px)" type="image/jpeg" width="1183" height="575"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_tablet/public/media/gallery_carousel/play4.jpg?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 992px)" type="image/jpeg" width="951" height="462"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_small/public/media/gallery_carousel/play4.jpg?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 768px)" type="image/jpeg" width="703" height="342"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_extra_small/public/media/gallery_carousel/play4.jpg?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (max-width: 767px)" type="image/jpeg" width="511" height="249"> <img loading="eager" src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_small/public/media/gallery_carousel/play4.jpg?h=de836872" alt="A student holds hands over their face while another student sings"> </picture> </div> <div class="field__item"> <picture> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_large_desktop/public/media/gallery_carousel/play3.webp?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 1200px)" type="image/webp" width="1200" height="583"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_desktop/public/media/gallery_carousel/play3.webp?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (max-width: 1199px)" type="image/webp" width="1183" height="575"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_tablet/public/media/gallery_carousel/play3.webp?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 992px)" type="image/webp" width="951" height="462"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_small/public/media/gallery_carousel/play3.webp?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 768px)" type="image/webp" width="703" height="342"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_extra_small/public/media/gallery_carousel/play3.webp?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (max-width: 767px)" type="image/webp" width="511" height="249"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_large_desktop/public/media/gallery_carousel/play3.jpg?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 1200px)" type="image/jpeg" width="1200" height="583"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_desktop/public/media/gallery_carousel/play3.jpg?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (max-width: 1199px)" type="image/jpeg" width="1183" height="575"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_tablet/public/media/gallery_carousel/play3.jpg?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 992px)" type="image/jpeg" width="951" height="462"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_small/public/media/gallery_carousel/play3.jpg?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 768px)" type="image/jpeg" width="703" height="342"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_extra_small/public/media/gallery_carousel/play3.jpg?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (max-width: 767px)" type="image/jpeg" width="511" height="249"> <img loading="eager" src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_small/public/media/gallery_carousel/play3.jpg?h=de836872" alt="A student acts out a scene using a broken hanger"> </picture> </div> <div class="field__item"> <picture> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_large_desktop/public/media/gallery_carousel/play2.webp?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 1200px)" type="image/webp" width="1200" height="583"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_desktop/public/media/gallery_carousel/play2.webp?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (max-width: 1199px)" type="image/webp" width="1183" height="575"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_tablet/public/media/gallery_carousel/play2.webp?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 992px)" type="image/webp" width="951" height="462"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_small/public/media/gallery_carousel/play2.webp?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 768px)" type="image/webp" width="703" height="342"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_extra_small/public/media/gallery_carousel/play2.webp?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (max-width: 767px)" type="image/webp" width="511" height="249"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_large_desktop/public/media/gallery_carousel/play2.jpg?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 1200px)" type="image/jpeg" width="1200" height="583"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_desktop/public/media/gallery_carousel/play2.jpg?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (max-width: 1199px)" type="image/jpeg" width="1183" height="575"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_tablet/public/media/gallery_carousel/play2.jpg?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 992px)" type="image/jpeg" width="951" height="462"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_small/public/media/gallery_carousel/play2.jpg?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (min-width: 768px)" type="image/jpeg" width="703" height="342"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_extra_small/public/media/gallery_carousel/play2.jpg?h=de836872 1x" media="all and (max-width: 767px)" type="image/jpeg" width="511" height="249"> <img loading="eager" src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/gallery_carousel_small/public/media/gallery_carousel/play2.jpg?h=de836872" alt="A student sits at a desk."> </picture> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>Many theatrical performances are known for their lavish sets and costumes that often end up in the trash when a show closes. But ϲ thespians are taking an environmentally friendly approach.</p> <p>For <em>Lighting the Way</em>, an upcoming series of short plays about climate change, students are using limited sets and costumes – and making them from existing materials. Even the paint is left over from past productions while props are made of waste cardboard. And the program is just one page with a digital supplement.</p> <p>“We’re in an artistic practice that has historically not been kind to the Earth,” said <strong>Kyle Imbeau</strong>, ’23, a <a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="bf10ef9d-8c25-44a2-b629-f9ad35f9438b" href="/department/theatre" title="Department of Theatre">theatre arts</a> major and women and gender studies minor from Fairhaven. “This is an important thing for us to be reflecting on as artists.”</p> <p>From Nov. 17 to 20, Kyle and their classmates in Associate Professor <strong>Miranda Giurleo</strong>’s Laboratory Theatre class will present <a href="https://bsutix.universitytickets.com/"><em>Lighting the Way</em></a> in the Rondileau Student Union Auditorium. The students selected 16 plays from an anthology of 49 pieces commissioned for the global theater festival Climate Change Theatre Action 2019. The plays highlight people who are striving for a more sustainable future.</p> <p>“We had a lot of conversations in class about how we do this in a way that leaves the audience with hope,” Giurleo said. “How do we do this in a way that doesn’t seem to be just for optics?”</p> <p>The minimalist set challenges students to think differently, but also presents an opportunity to connect with audience members who will be more focused on the actors, said <strong>Kaylin DiAntonio</strong>, ’24, a theater arts and psychology major from Carver.</p> <p>“Everything that we do is done with intent,” Kaylin said. “Everything we do has such profound purpose that you can’t help but be drawn in.”</p> <p>Some plays feature spoken word poetry, a style that connects <strong>ZZ McRae</strong>’s academic studies in theater and creative writing.</p> <p>“This course has been able to really mesh both of my passions together, and I’m so happy,” said ZZ, a member of the Class of 2023 from Brockton.</p> <p>Laboratory Theatre gives students a hands-on experience on stage and behind the scenes similar to the work of a professional theater company.&nbsp;</p> <p><em>Lighting the Way</em> marks the seventh show at BSU for which Kyle is the dramaturg, a position responsible for conducting research and providing context about the play for actors and the audience. Kyle appreciates having these experiences as an undergraduate because they aims to become a professional dramaturg.</p> <p>Kyle took on the dramaturg responsibilities to fulfill an Honors Program requirement. Fellow honors student <strong>Madison Bradbury</strong>, ’23, composed several songs for the production.</p> <p>“I’ve always enjoyed writing music,” said Madison, a theater arts major from East ϲ. “I’ve never had proper mentorship and space to do it. Here, I was given all the mentorship.”</p> <p>Madison hopes the audience leaves inspired to make a difference in improving the environment.</p> <p>“Even the smallest thing can help,” Madison&nbsp;said. “I hope this starts a chain reaction.”</p> <p><em>Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email <a href="mailto:stories@bridgew.edu">stories@bridgew.edu</a>.</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-hide-featured field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> No </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div class="ckeditor-media-class"> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="blazy blazy--field blazy--field-media-image-9 blazy--field-media-image-9--image-max-470x470 field field--name-field-media-image-9 field--type-image field--label-hidden field__items" data-blazy> <div class="field__item"> <div data-b-token="b-811e33998c6" class="media media--blazy media--image is-b-loading"><img alt="Two students rehearse a scene using a broken hanger as a prop." decoding="async" class="media__element b-lazy" loading="lazy" data-src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/max_470x470/public/media/article_featured_image/playmain.jpg" src="/sites/bridgew/files/media/images/image-loading.gif"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-testimonial field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <section class="paragraph paragraph--type--testimonial paragraph---id--165756 scroll-reveal box1 paragraph--view-mode--default" aria-label="testimonial content id-165756"> <div class="media-wrapper"> <div class="media"> <div class="media-body"> <blockquote> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> We’re in an artistic practice that has historically not been kind to the Earth. This is an important thing for us to be reflecting on as artists. </div> </div> </blockquote> <div class="field field--name-field-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Kyle Imbeau, ’23 </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-inline field__items"> <div class="field__label">Tags</div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/tags/arts" aria-label="Related stories tagged Arts" hreflang="en">Arts</a> </div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/2804" aria-label="Related stories tagged Honors Program" hreflang="en">Honors Program</a> </div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/tags/sustainability" aria-label="Related stories tagged Sustainability" hreflang="en">Sustainability</a> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-credit field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Photos by Artie Universe, '23 </div> </div> </div> </div> Tue, 15 Nov 2022 13:41:49 +0000 BBENSON@bridgew.edu 246941 at City Champions /news-events/city-champions <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">City Champions</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span lang typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype>Anonymous</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2020-01-09T10:35:58-05:00" title="Thursday, January 9, 2020 - 10:35" class="datetime">Thu, 01/09/2020 - 10:35</time> </span> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-short-description-v2 field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Geography students study Brockton’s government, diversity and more </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <time datetime="2019-12-26T12:00:00Z" class="datetime">December 26, 2019</time> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Brian Benson </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-above field__items"> <div class="field__label">Story Series</div> <div class="field__item"> News Feature </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p><strong>Georgia Lane</strong>, ’23, used to wonder if Brockton was safe. After taking a first-year seminar at ϲ, she began looking at the local city differently – as an ethnically and geographically diverse community waiting to be studied.</p> <p>“It’s a thriving city,” said Georgia, a health science major from Pembroke. “I had assumptions about Brockton and (the class) has helped break the assumptions.”</p> <p>That is one of the goals for Dr. <strong>James Hayes-Bohanan</strong>, who first taught a class about Brockton a decade ago. The city, he said, is a perfect municipality to study. It is multicultural, urban (some students walk down their first city alley while taking this course), and close to campus. Students explore its connections to Cape Verde, Haiti and elsewhere.</p> <p>“It’s a lens on the wider world that they can learn,” the <a href="/department/geography">geography</a> professor said. “They can have international experiences within 10 miles of campus. … I hope it helps them to value the diversity of the communities they live in.”</p> <p>Geography, after all, is about much more than maps. It involves truly understanding another community.</p> <p>This semester, students talked with a Brockton Hospital nurse, visited the Brightfield solar power facility, and met locals at Elvera’s Café. Sometimes, they just drove around the city making observations and working to dispel stereotypes.</p> <p>Students found fruits and vegetables as diverse as the grocery store’s customers, natural areas to enjoy a walk in the woods, and Little Free Libraries where anyone can take and leave books.</p> <p>Even Brocktonian <strong>Dale Quimby</strong>, ’23, learned more about his home city’s manufacturing history. He praised BSU for offering this course.</p> <p>“I think it shows they care about the communities they have around them,” the physics major said.</p> <p>During a recent class, students visited <a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ocpcrpa.org%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7CBBENSON%40bridgew.edu%7Ca9e7ad562d9e48f1b2b508d787564b29%7C48ec3bf8d1654eabbbeef8d5307f46e1%7C0%7C0%7C637126677011401698&amp;sdata=iCpQ4ZpVer3DNMdsdNbWz09Qnk8B9QgCSyooQRhwIUg%3D&amp;reserved=0">Old Colony Planning Council</a>, which helps cities and towns coordinate environmental, transportation, and economic initiatives that cross municipal boundaries.</p> <p>The council employs a number of ϲ alumni, including <strong>Charles Kilmer</strong>, ’93, who showed students a textbook from his days as a geography major.</p> <p>Being a Bear “helped set the stage for what I wanted to do for a career,” Kilmer said.</p> <p>Kilmer, now the council’s assistant director and transportation program manager, hopes students understand Brockton is comprised of people working together to improve their community. That’s a sentiment BSU students share after spending a semester in the City of Champions.</p> <p>“When you first hear about it, you look at Brockton as an unsafe place,” said <strong>Mikey Skwarto</strong>, ’23, a secondary education and math major from Taunton. “But, there’s a lot more to Brockton.”</p> <p><em>Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email&nbsp;</em><em><a href="mailto:stories@bridgew.edu">stories@bridgew.edu</a>.</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-hide-featured field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> No </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-migrated-featured-image field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div class="ckeditor-media-class"> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="blazy blazy--field blazy--field-media-image-9 blazy--field-media-image-9--image-max-470x470 field field--name-field-media-image-9 field--type-image field--label-hidden field__items" data-blazy> <div class="field__item"> <div data-b-token="b-4c2bb570ffc" class="media media--blazy media--image is-b-loading"><img alt="Students visit Brockton City Hall" title="Students visit Brockton City Hall" decoding="async" class="media__element b-lazy" loading="lazy" data-src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/max_470x470/public/geoext.jpg" src="/sites/bridgew/files/media/images/image-loading.gif"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-testimonial field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <section class="paragraph paragraph--type--testimonial paragraph---id--43591 scroll-reveal box1 paragraph--view-mode--default" aria-label="testimonial content id-43591"> <div class="media-wrapper"> <div class="media"> <div class="media-body"> <blockquote> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> It’s a thriving city. I had assumptions about Brockton and (the class) has helped break the assumptions. </div> </div> </blockquote> <div class="field field--name-field-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Georgia Lane, ’23 </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-inline field__items"> <div class="field__label">Tags</div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/2772" aria-label="Related stories tagged Brockton" hreflang="en">Brockton</a> </div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/2778" aria-label="Related stories tagged In the Classroom" hreflang="en">In the Classroom</a> </div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/2804" aria-label="Related stories tagged Honors Program" hreflang="en">Honors Program</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> Thu, 09 Jan 2020 15:35:58 +0000 Anonymous 222926 at Step by Step /news-events/step-step <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Step by Step</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span lang typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype>Anonymous</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2020-01-09T10:35:58-05:00" title="Thursday, January 9, 2020 - 10:35" class="datetime">Thu, 01/09/2020 - 10:35</time> </span> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-short-description-v2 field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Senior dance major finds novel way to connect in the classroom </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <time datetime="2019-12-02T12:00:00Z" class="datetime">December 2, 2019</time> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Brian Benson </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-above field__items"> <div class="field__label">Story Series</div> <div class="field__item"> News Feature </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p><strong>Riley Lathrop</strong>, ’20, views the classroom as her stage. And for her, studying dance at ϲ raised the curtain on an innovative way to lead English classes halfway around the world. &nbsp;</p> <p>Drawing on her skills as a dance major and love of the art form, Riley used movement, rhythm, and expressions to teach second graders on the Indonesian island of Bali.</p> <p>At ϲ, “I’ve found so much passion with everything I’m doing,” said Riley, who is from Northampton and minoring in management. “I know I could not have gotten this at a different school.”</p> <p>Entering the Indonesian classroom last summer with limited resources and no idea what the volunteer before her had done, she found success teaching body parts, prepositions and emotions.</p> <p>“Dance is education on its own, but it also can be used as a pedagogy to teach basically anything,” she said. “When you’re making an expression and vocalizing it simultaneously, you’re going to be able to apply it better and memorize it.”</p> <p>Riley’s BSU courses introduced her to Indonesia and incorporating movement into her lessons. She is exploring how movement affects instruction in English as a second language. The experience led her to realize that volunteer teachers need training.</p> <p>Riley presented at the National Dance Education Organization’s October conference in Miami and is writing her honors thesis on the topic.</p> <p>She traveled abroad through the nonprofit International Volunteer HQ and received an Adrian Tinsley Program for Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship grant from BSU. During her five weeks in Bali, students became more confident speaking in class and improved their grasp of English.</p> <p>Riley has grown herself by finding a home in ϲ’s <a href="/department/dance">Department of Dance</a>. She joined student organizations, traveled and learned from faculty such as <a href="/department/dance/our-faculty"><strong>Dr. Donna Dragon</strong></a>, who excel at meeting individual students’ needs and interests.</p> <p>“The depth and breadth and quality and potential impact of her research is beyond what we would see in undergraduate students,” said Dragon, an associate professor of dance. “Her research rivals that of graduate students and even some research of professionals in the field of dance.”</p> <p>Riley is exploring a topic few have studied before, and her work could underscore the need to train volunteer English teachers, Dragon said.</p> <p>Riley hopes to help make volunteers more effective teachers. The students she met deserve strong instruction, and they only learn English from visitors who may be more interested in being tourists, she said.</p> <p>She aims to attend graduate school to study teaching English to non-native speakers and potentially pursue that as a career.</p> <p>“I know I’m set up for so much,” she said, “because of this dance major.”</p> <p><em>Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:stories@bridgew.edu">stories@bridgew.edu</a>.</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-hide-featured field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> No </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-migrated-featured-image field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div class="ckeditor-media-class"> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="blazy blazy--field blazy--field-media-image-9 blazy--field-media-image-9--image-max-470x470 field field--name-field-media-image-9 field--type-image field--label-hidden field__items" data-blazy> <div class="field__item"> <div data-b-token="b-681433a07ab" class="media media--blazy media--image is-b-loading"><img alt="Riley Lathrop, ’20, teaches English." title="Riley Lathrop, ’20, teaches English." decoding="async" class="media__element b-lazy" loading="lazy" data-src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/max_470x470/public/danceext.jpg" src="/sites/bridgew/files/media/images/image-loading.gif"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-testimonial field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <section class="paragraph paragraph--type--testimonial paragraph---id--43341 scroll-reveal box1 paragraph--view-mode--default" aria-label="testimonial content id-43341"> <div class="media-wrapper"> <div class="media"> <div class="media-body"> <blockquote> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> At ϲ, “I’ve found so much passion with everything I’m doing, I know I could not have gotten this at a different school. </div> </div> </blockquote> <div class="field field--name-field-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Riley Lathrop, ’20 </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-inline field__items"> <div class="field__label">Tags</div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/2804" aria-label="Related stories tagged Honors Program" hreflang="en">Honors Program</a> </div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/tags/undergraduate-research" aria-label="Related stories tagged Undergraduate Research" hreflang="en">Undergraduate Research</a> </div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/tags/arts" aria-label="Related stories tagged Arts" hreflang="en">Arts</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> Thu, 09 Jan 2020 15:35:58 +0000 Anonymous 222806 at Student Profile: Manuel Pina, ’21 /news-events/student-profile-manuel-pina-21 <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Student Profile: Manuel Pina, ’21</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span lang typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype>Anonymous</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2020-01-09T10:35:58-05:00" title="Thursday, January 9, 2020 - 10:35" class="datetime">Thu, 01/09/2020 - 10:35</time> </span> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-short-description-v2 field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> First-gen chemistry major found his passion in the lab </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <time datetime="2019-11-15T12:00:00Z" class="datetime">November 15, 2019</time> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Brian Benson </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-above field__items"> <div class="field__label">Story Series</div> <div class="field__item"> News Feature </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>As a first-generation student, <strong>Manuel Pina</strong>, ’21, had no one at home to ask about the college experience. Fortunately, he came to ϲ, where about half the student population is first-gen, and faculty and staff eagerly help unlock doors to opportunity and scientific discovery.</p> <p>“I found really good professors,” said Manuel, a chemical sciences major with a concentration in <a href="https://catalog.bridgew.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=14&amp;catoid=14&amp;poid=4845#_ga=2.1910456.886768570.1569248089-2035154400.1562601901">professional chemistry</a> who lives in Brockton and grew up in Cape Verde. “In the Honors Program I found people who were really helpful, who guided me.&nbsp; … It was the best thing that ever happened to me.”</p> <p>Manuel’s embrace of the college experience and BSU’s signature <a href="/academics/undergraduate-research">undergraduate research</a> program led to a spot in a prestigious, federally funded summer program. He studied proteins at Northeastern University through Research Experiences for Undergraduates, which involves traditionally unrepresented students (such as first-gen) in STEM activities.</p> <p>He was one of 10 students from around the country selected for the Northeastern project out of more than 300 applicants. Based on his exemplary work over the summer, he represented the group at the Research Experiences for Undergraduates Symposium, Oct. 27-28, in Alexandria, Virginia.</p> <p>Manuel, who is minoring in math and biology, entered the summer program well prepared, thanks to the research opportunities at BSU, which are available to students beginning as early as freshman year.</p> <p>“I already knew how research worked and how to do stuff,” he said. “It made me stand out in relation to the others.”</p> <p>His summer project involved determining or confirming the function of more than two dozen proteins using software that analyzes them. Results can then be checked through lab experiments.</p> <p>Manuel’s research is far more than an academic exercise because knowing how proteins work in the human body is important for curing diseases and eradicating viruses.</p> <p>“He’s hungry to learn,” said Dr. <strong>Saritha Nellutla</strong>, an assistant professor of <a href="/department/chemical-sciences">chemical sciences</a>. “It’s not enough to learn about theoretical stuff in the classroom. He wants to put that knowledge to the test in a lab to see how it works or whether it works.”</p> <p>His success showcases the excellent, affordable education available at BSU and opportunity for one-on-one mentorship given ϲ’s small class sizes, Nellutla said.</p> <p>That environment has helped Manuel flourish. He caught the research bug and set his sights on obtaining a doctorate degree.</p> <p>“After I got here, I discovered the path I want to follow,” he said. “I want to go for my PhD in chemistry.”</p> <p><em>Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email&nbsp;</em><em><a href="mailto:stories@bridgew.edu">stories@bridgew.edu</a>.</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-hide-featured field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> No </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-migrated-featured-image field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div class="ckeditor-media-class"> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="blazy blazy--field blazy--field-media-image-9 blazy--field-media-image-9--image-max-470x470 field field--name-field-media-image-9 field--type-image field--label-hidden field__items" data-blazy> <div class="field__item"> <div data-b-token="b-e30d48efeab" class="media media--blazy media--image is-b-loading"><img alt="Manuel Pina, ’21, in a lab" title="Manuel Pina, ’21, in a lab" decoding="async" class="media__element b-lazy" loading="lazy" data-src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/max_470x470/public/chemext.jpg" src="/sites/bridgew/files/media/images/image-loading.gif"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-testimonial field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <section class="paragraph paragraph--type--testimonial paragraph---id--43276 scroll-reveal box1 paragraph--view-mode--default" aria-label="testimonial content id-43276"> <div class="media-wrapper"> <div class="media"> <div class="media-body"> <blockquote> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> I found really good professors. In the Honors Program I found people who were really helpful, who guided me. … It was the best thing that ever happened to me. </div> </div> </blockquote> <div class="field field--name-field-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Manuel Pina, ’21 </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-inline field__items"> <div class="field__label">Tags</div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/2804" aria-label="Related stories tagged Honors Program" hreflang="en">Honors Program</a> </div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/tags/undergraduate-research" aria-label="Related stories tagged Undergraduate Research" hreflang="en">Undergraduate Research</a> </div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/2766" aria-label="Related stories tagged Student Spotlight" hreflang="en">Student Spotlight</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> Thu, 09 Jan 2020 15:35:58 +0000 Anonymous 222771 at Spotlight on Honors /news-events/news/spotlight-honors <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Spotlight on Honors</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span lang typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype>Anonymous</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2020-01-09T10:35:58-05:00" title="Thursday, January 9, 2020 - 10:35" class="datetime">Thu, 01/09/2020 - 10:35</time> </span> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-short-description-v2 field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Program grows and diversifies thanks to inclusive, student-centered approach </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <time datetime="2019-09-03T12:00:00Z" class="datetime">September 3, 2019</time> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Brian Benson </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-above field__items"> <div class="field__label">Story Series</div> <div class="field__item"> News Feature </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p><em>[Editor's Note: This is the third story in our Back to School series.]</em></p> <div> <div data-embed-button="media_entity_embed" data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:media.full" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{&quot;link_url&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;link_url_target&quot;:0}" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="a94dad2b-b644-4fde-b243-7a848dcd214d" class="align-right embedded-entity" data-langcode="en"> <div class="ckeditor-media-class"> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="blazy blazy--field blazy--field-media-image blazy--field-media-image--full field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__items" data-blazy> <div class="field__item"> <div data-b-token="b-b7cb68239f8" class="media media--blazy media--image is-b-loading"><img alt="back to school graphic" decoding="async" class="media__element b-lazy" loading="lazy" data-src="/sites/bridgew/files/btsgraphic_0.jpg" src="/sites/bridgew/files/media/images/image-loading.gif"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> The Honors Program at ϲ is growing and diversifying. <p>More than 600 Bears are participating this academic year, compared to 350 students in 2012. And, 196 of them are first-year students. Meanwhile, people of color comprise an increasingly larger share of honors students.</p> <p>This trend may be due to more flexible honors admissions requirements; BSU’s new use of the Common App, which makes the college application process easier; and the program’s inclusive, student-centered approach and one-on-one faculty mentorship, explained <strong>Dr. Jenny Shanahan</strong>, assistant provost for high-impact practices.</p> <p>To learn more, we asked new and upper-class Bears why they value the Honors Program.</p> <h3>Aaron Bisson, ’20, Plymouth</h3> <p>As an aspiring college professor, Aaron sees the Honors Program as a way to challenge himself in preparation for graduate school and his career.</p> <p>“I think it gives you an opportunity to do work you are particularly interested in,” the English major said. “It gives you an opportunity to try things you wouldn’t necessarily be looking at in the coursework itself.”</p> <p>Aaron, who transferred to BSU from Stonehill College and is minoring in anthropology and African studies, encourages new honors students to talk to their advisors and peers and take advantage of opportunities to learn in new ways.</p> <h3>Patricia Diaz, ’23, Brockton</h3> <p>Patricia wasn’t set on attending BSU until visiting campus.</p> <p>“I decided to come here because I felt special here,” the English and secondary education major said. “I felt like I had a place among thousands of people.”</p> <p>She looks forward to connecting with fellow honors students by residing in a living learning community in Scott Hall. She hopes the Honors Program will help her break out of her shell.</p> <p>“I’ve been a pretty shy person for as long as I can remember,” she said. “When I heard about small and challenging classes, it caught my attention because I thought it would connect me with other people. It would make it easier for my voice to be heard.”</p> <h3>Hannah Deane, ’21, Blackstone</h3> <p>Hannah came to BSU because it was, as she puts it, the “financially responsible” choice, but the university exceeded her expectations.</p> <div> <div data-embed-button="media_entity_embed" data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:media.full" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{&quot;link_url&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;link_url_target&quot;:0}" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="e98dc877-e84c-4922-9dc2-a1e888135d41" class="align-right embedded-entity" data-langcode="en"> <div class="ckeditor-media-class"> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="blazy blazy--field blazy--field-media-image blazy--field-media-image--full field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__items" data-blazy> <div class="field__item"> <div data-b-token="b-1cd75136829" class="media media--blazy media--image is-b-loading"><img alt="Hannah Deane" decoding="async" class="media__element b-lazy" loading="lazy" data-src="/sites/bridgew/files/honors2.jpg" src="/sites/bridgew/files/media/images/image-loading.gif"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p>“It ended up being the best decision because of all of the opportunities here,” the biology major said.</p> <p>The Honors Program opened doors to leadership experiences, research and courses that stress real-world applications.</p> <p>As president of the Honors Student Congress, Hannah looks forward to planning community service, social and educational events for fellow honors students. She encourages new Bears to become involved on campus from Day One.</p> <p>“I found the Honors Program really engaging,” she said. “I wanted a little more of a challenge and figured the Honors Program was a pretty good way to do that.”</p> <h3>Joanna Gordon, ’23, Plymouth</h3> <p>Joanna succeeded in high school at Archbishop Williams, a Catholic school in Braintree. Now entering much larger ϲ State, Joanna seeks a home within the university.</p> <p>“I know the Honors Program is close. There’s more one-on-one (interactions with professors) like in my high school,” the physics major and Spanish minor said. “I know I can learn a lot in that environment.”</p> <p>Joanna was impressed with what she saw in the Department of Physics, including <a href="/news-events/news/laser-focus-video">optical tweezers developed by undergraduates</a> under the guidance of <strong>Dr. Thaya Paramanathan</strong>. Even her parents came away thinking “Wow.”</p> <p>“I love physics. It makes me excited,” she said. “I’m more excited to be with other people who love the things I love. I’m hoping we’ll all be close.”&nbsp;</p> <p><em>Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:stories@bridgew.edu">stories@bridgew.edu</a>.</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-hide-featured field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> No </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-migrated-featured-image field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div class="ckeditor-media-class"> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="blazy blazy--field blazy--field-media-image-9 blazy--field-media-image-9--image-max-470x470 field field--name-field-media-image-9 field--type-image field--label-hidden field__items" data-blazy> <div class="field__item"> <div data-b-token="b-6fec067d2a7" class="media media--blazy media--image is-b-loading"><img alt="Joanna Gordon, Patricia Diaz and Aaron Bisson" title="Joanna Gordon, Patricia Diaz and Aaron Bisson" decoding="async" class="media__element b-lazy" loading="lazy" data-src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/max_470x470/public/honorsext.jpg" src="/sites/bridgew/files/media/images/image-loading.gif"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-testimonial field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <section class="paragraph paragraph--type--testimonial paragraph---id--42926 scroll-reveal box1 paragraph--view-mode--default" aria-label="testimonial content id-42926"> <div class="media-wrapper"> <div class="media"> <div class="media-body"> <blockquote> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> When I heard about small and challenging classes, it caught my attention because I thought it would connect me with other people. It would make it easier for my voice to be heard. </div> </div> </blockquote> <div class="field field--name-field-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Patricia Diaz, ’23 </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-inline field__items"> <div class="field__label">Tags</div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/2804" aria-label="Related stories tagged Honors Program" hreflang="en">Honors Program</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> Thu, 09 Jan 2020 15:35:58 +0000 Anonymous 222601 at