Internship helps senior develop her passion for service

Hanley Callahan’s summer internship offers much more than learning on-the-job skills. It is an opportunity to serve others, and that has been transformational for the BSU senior.

“At the end of the day, I go home with a feeling I’ve never had before: I did something important,” said Hanley, who is helping School on Wheels Massachusetts deliver more than 10,000 backpacks to children. “Now I really want to work in the nonprofit industry. I want to be part of this field for the long term.”

A multitasker, Hanley manages donations and volunteer support while ensuring every backpack is filled with school supplies and – the English major’s favorite part – a book.

This is Hanley’s second summer interning at East �����ؿ���Ƶ-based School on Wheels Massachusetts. The organization supports students affected by homelessness and poverty. In addition to backpack distribution, staff offer tutoring and mentoring programs.

As an intern, Hanley is fully immersed in running the nonprofit. She works side-by-side with the staff on everything from loading a truck with backpacks to planning for the nonprofit’s future.

“No work is below anyone here,” she said. “����’s really empowering to be in a workplace with that support.”

Hanley relies on writing and communication skills developed in �����ؿ���Ƶ State English classes taught by Regina Daus-Haberle and Dr. Lisa Litterio.

“Now that I’m corresponding with real professionals every day, it has come in so handy to have those core writing skills,” she said. “I know the different tones of communication. Whether writing a blog post or writing an email or on a phone call, the communication piece is invaluable.”

Hanley stands out as a great communicator who is as comfortable working on a small task like moving boxes as she is pondering longer-term challenges, said her internship supervisor, Barbara Fox.

“She can see the entire picture, and not a lot of people can do that,” said Fox, School on Wheels’ director of community outreach. “Her commitment and thoughtfulness help all of us. ... She is part of the team that literally is making this happen.”

This fall, Hanley will participate in a marketing internship at School on Wheels Massachusetts, a role that incorporates her minor in digital media. No matter the task, she is driven by a desire to help children succeed in school.

“I feel like a piece of something really big,” she said.

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At the end of the day, I go home with a feeling I’ve never had before: I did something important. Now I really want to work in the nonprofit industry. I want to be part of this field for the long term.

Recent alumnus excelling at Boston tech start-up

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 �����ؿ���Ƶ 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 �����ؿ���Ƶ 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 �����ؿ���Ƶ 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 �����ؿ���Ƶ 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.

CUBEs program takes students into the working world

Anna Dykhoff, ’26, enrolled in an English class on grant writing hoping to learn a new skill. By the end of the semester, she was able to add even more to her resume.

The class challenged students to work with A&A Metro Transportation to support its �����ؿ���Ƶ Cares on-demand public transit system for town residents and BSU students. And, thanks to connections she made, Anna is a summer intern for the organization.

“It blossomed from something I thought was just a class into a career opportunity,” she said.

That’s just one of the many benefits of BSU’s Collaborative University Business Experiences (CUBEs) program. In CUBEs classes such as this one taught by Dr. Lisa Litterio, students work with local organizations on semester-long projects that are embedded within the course.

Students visited A&A Metro’s offices and the Senior Center and met with users of the service. They established a TikTok account, produced Instagram posts and wrote a federal grant proposal for �����ؿ���Ƶ Cares, which is currently funded by the state, town of �����ؿ���Ƶ and BSU. They even received feedback on the proposal from Congressman Bill Keating’s staff.

“����’s mirroring what the workplace is about and what the world is about,” said Litterio, who hopes the course helps students expand their writing and career horizons. “����’s seeing the classroom as a place to do grant writing.”

Students embraced the opportunity and responsibility that comes with a project whose impact stretched far beyond the classroom.

“����’s very rewarding,” said Cam Rodericks, a marketing major who expects to finish his degree in the fall. “I’m learning something I can apply to real life.”

Dasia Peters, ’24, added: “I feel like I’m actually doing something that has a greater purpose. Just the thought of being able to actually get funding that can help the community is really motivating to me.”

Dasia, a communication studies major and member of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, hopes to use her new skills to help her tribe apply for federal grants.

Anna, who focused in class on enhancing �����ؿ���Ƶ Cares’ social media accounts, looks forward to growing A&A Metro’s online presence during her internship.

“We’re being trusted as professionals,” Anna said of the course. “����’s not work just to get a grade.”

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It blossomed from something I thought was just a class into a career opportunity.

Rachel Cullity, ’21, G’23, helps safeguard the financial systems and taxpayer money that power a plethora of Massachusetts government services. 

����’s a critical job – and one she may have never found if not for the mentoring of a �����ؿ���Ƶ State cybersecurity instructor. 

“I definitely wouldn’t have been where I am today if it wasn’t for �����ؿ���Ƶ,” said Cullity, a compliance officer with the state Office of the Comptroller. “I met a lot of people and learned a lot of leadership skills, and then I also had support of my professors like Dave Marion.”&�Բ�����;

Cullity began her full-time position in June, soon after earning a master’s degree in criminal justice with a certificate in cybersecurity and cyber-criminology. She protects state financial systems from fraud and cybersecurity attacks and helps agencies follow relevant laws. 

“I wanted to have a really important job that gives back to taxpayers,” said Cullity, who also studied criminal justice as an undergraduate at BSU. “I wanted to play an important role in the commonwealth.”&�Բ�����;

Cullity’s experience in the comptroller’s office began as a summer intern while in graduate school at BSU. She helped develop a campaign raising awareness about suspicious emails that was subsequently implemented. For Cybersecurity Awareness Month this October, Cullity is continuing to build cybersecurity awareness among state employees.

Marion, who met Cullity in his introductory cybersecurity course, encouraged her to apply for the internship. She credits it with helping her see a way to use her academic knowledge in the workforce.  

Cybersecurity internships provide intensive, first-hand work experience in a way that classroom instruction can’t fulfill, said Marion, who also serves as BSU’s director of information security. 

“We can do a lot with simulating the technical stuff,” he said. “What’s more difficult to simulate is relationships and understanding how relationships work in an organization.”&�Բ�����;

While at BSU, Cullity also served as president of the Graduate Professional Student Association and criminal justice honor society. Now she is the director of young professionals for the AGA Boston chapter, an organization for workers and students involved in government financial management.

Her commitment to giving back stands out, Marion said. 

“Her leadership and willingness to help others really sets her apart,” he said. “The way Rachel does it is in a very collegial, very supportive, very collaborative way.”&�Բ�����;

Cullity credits Marion’s course with planting the seed that the burgeoning field might hold a viable opportunity for her. 

“He told me that I could do it,” she said. “I just had to stay focused.”

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

I definitely wouldn’t have been where I am today if it wasn’t for �����ؿ���Ƶ. I met a lot of people and learned a lot of leadership skills, and then I also had support of my professors like Dave Marion.

Growing up in Hong Kong, Dr. Gerald Tang attended schools where test scores played an outsized role in dictating a student’s future. After immigrating to America, he discovered a higher education system focused more on helping students discover their passions.

Tang embraced that sense of exploration as a student and professional.

“My true calling is helping people understand their skillsets and interest in what they want to do,” said Tang, who immigrated to the U.S. with his family as a teenager.

Tang sees �����ؿ���Ƶ State University as a great place to continue that mission as the first executive director of Career Services and the Internship Program Office. He looks forward to uniting the two in order to enhance support for students and alumni.

“The community cares about student success,” Tang said of an initial observation of BSU. “�����ؿ���Ƶ is a great institution.”

Tang comes to BSU with more than 15 years of experience in higher education, including most recently serving as the inaugural assistant dean for career integration at St. Francis College in New York City.

As a first-generation student, Tang found supportive mentors during his undergraduate years who shaped his educational and career journey. Even back then, he served his peers as an orientation leader, resident assistant and career development intern.

“I now understand what it takes to help students be successful in their college experience and professional experience as well,” he said.

Tang is excited to work for a university with strong academic programs that is committed to innovation and social justice. He looks forward to larger conversations with employers about what comprises a living wage and ways to achieve a more diverse workforce.

“Our work isn’t just about short-term change,” he said. “Our hope is (to create) systemic changes across society at large.”

My true calling is helping people understand their skillsets and interest in what they want to do.

Senior laying foundation for dual careers in teaching and construction 

The road may not have been straight, but the twists and turns have led Gabe Elias, ’24, to the finish line of his senior year at �����ؿ���Ƶ State University, and he’s confident about what comes next.   

“I’ve always been open to possibilities,” Gabe said. “The way I was raised is, I need to make things happen for myself and if I put my mind to it and work hard, ��’l�� get things done.”&�Բ�����; 

The Leominster native began his college career at a different school, studying finance.  

Things were going okay until the spring of 2020 when COVID hit, classes moved online, and necessary restrictions were put in place.   

“I was not doing good mentally,” Gabe said. “I couldn’t concentrate, �徱���’t like what I was studying and �徱���’t want to be there anymore.”&�Բ�����;

A friend at the time recognized his struggle and, because of his passion for sports and fitness, suggested he switch gears and study physical education.   

After doing some research, Gabe discovered BSU’s physical education teacher licensure program. What he discovered piqued his interest and after some soul searching, he decided to transfer.   

“I was very scared to pull the trigger and transfer, it’s a life-changing decision,” he said. “But once I did, the process was smooth and very easy.”&�Բ�����; 

Around this time, he also received an email inviting him to interview for an entrepreneurial internship he’d previously applied for but had forgotten about.    

He landed the internship and, while pursuing his degree at BSU to teach physical education, gained valuable knowledge on how to run a business.  

“The internship taught me what I was capable of doing,” Gabe said. It also provided the confidence to launch his own company, Elias Home Improvement.    

His company offers exterior and interior painting and power washing in the Leominster area. Because of the success he’s had, Gabe looks to eventually expand into a full construction business.   

Before then, however, he still plans to earn his degree from �����ؿ���Ƶ, which means this semester he will be student teaching full-time to complete the degree requirements, while also running the business.   

The ultimate goal is to be able to teach physical education at the high school level and run a business at the same time, something Gabe feels is possible because the majority of his company’s work is done on weekends, while teaching takes place during the weekdays.   

“I have a lot of business goals and aspirations but aim to be a man of all trades,” he said. “I don’t like being locked into one thing. I want to be someone who is successful, someone who helps and inspires others.”&�Բ�����; 

When he looks back at the last three years, it amazes him how far he’s come.   

“During COVID, man, I was in a bad spot mentally,” Gabe said. “But then I think about how quickly it turned around.”&�Բ�����; 

A lot of that had to do with his decision to transfer to BSU and the support he’s received.   

“I’ve been calmer, less stressed and my professors have helped me tremendously with whatever I have had going on,” he said. “They are very flexible and always there to help me. �����ؿ���Ƶ has surprised me, there is definitely a family feel here.”&�Բ�����; 

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

�����ؿ���Ƶ has surprised me, there is definitely a family feel here.

The aviation field requires on-the-job experience that classroom instruction alone cannot provide. And Sophia Schiappa, ’24, is discovering there’s no better training opportunity than an internship at New England’s busiest airport.  

“����’s such a hands-on industry,” said Sophia, an aviation management major from Wareham who is interning at Logan International Airport. “����’s an environment you have to be in to succeed.”  

Sophia first worked at Logan for Cape Air, which flies from Boston to destinations in New England and upstate New York. In January, she began what has become a year-long internship with Massport, the public agency that runs Logan.   

Sophia works in operations at Terminal E, which handles most international flights. She helps ensure smooth communication and collaboration between Massport, airlines, ground crews and others who help passengers travel to faraway destinations such as Dubai, Tokyo and Paris.   

“I’m kind of like a middleman,” said Sophia, who interned this summer alongside fellow Bear Catherine Cummings, ’23. “I communicate about delays, weather and irregular operations and assist the airlines with whatever they need.”  

Every day brings new experiences and challenges – and that’s just what Sophia is seeking in a career. Her internship even coincided with the construction and opening of a four-gate extension to Terminal E.  

On campus, Sophia is president and co-founder of the Women in Aviation club, which organizes field trips and community service activities. Sophia enjoys helping new students acclimate to BSU and the aviation field.  

“I remember being a freshman at �����ؿ���Ƶ State and feeling a little lost with what I wanted to do,” she said. “Now it feels like I have a sense of who I am.”  

During her internship, she helped run a STEM expo for high school students, an experience that further solidified her plans.  

Sophia aims to continue giving back throughout a career that she hopes leads back to Logan Airport.   

“Being able to support such a major facility in the state of Massachusetts would mean a lot to me,” she said. “Plus, I enjoy what I’m doing. I can blend a personal passion and a career.”

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I remember being a freshman at �����ؿ���Ƶ State and feeling a little lost with what I wanted to do. Now it feels like I have a sense of who I am.

When Caroline Tripp, ’24, received an email from Diane Bell, �����ؿ���Ƶ State University’s vice president of outreach and engagement, recommending she apply for a summer internship with the Matt Light Foundation, she was intrigued.   

A standout on the BSU women’s basketball team, Caroline was looking for ways to expand her leadership skills and the opportunity looked promising.   

“I had seen a lot of different openings for internships, some seemed more interesting than others, but this one jumped out at me because of my goals and the room for growth, leadership-wise,” she said.   

Her hunch proved correct and this summer she was hired as a public relations intern to work for the organization founded by former New England Patriots standout Matt Light. The foundation’s mission is to help young people develop skills, values, and a mindset necessary to create a meaningful and productive future.   

Working out of the group’s Sharon office, Caroline gained experience in social media management and blogging, and also collaborated with other interns and staffers to develop proposals for donors and fundraising efforts.   

“I’ve enjoyed the work a lot because it’s rewarding. ����’s not just busy work sitting behind a screen, you’re taking action to help youth and give back. You get to see your efforts unfold and make a difference,” she said.   

Having a positive impact is something that motivates Caroline, especially within her own community. Including BSU.   

Last year, the senior started a club on the �����ؿ���Ƶ campus to help student-athletes manage their mental health. Working with the nonprofit , Caroline established at BSU an ambassador program, one of more than 1,000 at campuses nationwide. Morgan was a lacrosse player at Duke who committed suicide; her family started this program. 

Through the program, meetings allow student athletes to check in on each other, particularly regarding their mental health. During finals, Caroline and other members of the club hosted mental health hangouts and during the year organized guest speakers to come and talk to BSU teams.   

“Also, each (athletic) team on campus now has a representative and we get together once a month to talk about things, to make sure that we have check-ins. We let each other know that we’re in this together...and it’s okay to not be okay,” Caroline said.   

There is also an  dedicated to the program.   

As she heads into her senior year at �����ؿ���Ƶ, Caroline is excited to continue with the program and expand her growing leadership skills.   

“The (Light Foundation) internship was a good experience, it gave me a taste of what it is I really want to do, and I look forward to taking what I learned and applying it to my classes this fall,” she said.   

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

The (Light Foundation) internship was a good experience, it gave me a taste of what it is I really want to do, and I look forward to taking what I learned and applying it to my classes this fall.

Internship with campus police K-9 unit paves the way for senior’s future 

Summertime, and the campus may not be bustling as usual. However, there is still important work being done at �����ؿ���Ƶ State University. Just ask Alysiana Cruz, ’24, who secured an internship with the �����ؿ���Ƶ State police department over the break.   

It is the first time BSUPD offered a summer internship.  

“I was having a hard time finding an internship until Diane Bell and Aboubacar Diakite helped,” Cruz said.  

Bell, who serves as vice president of Outreach and Engagement and oversees the Rising Bears program, and Diakite, the BSUPD liaison in charge of the Building Bridges program, are both keen on helping students find the careers of their dreams.  

Rising Bears was developed to help prepare students of color and/or first-generation students for the workforce, while Building Bridges was established to create a partnership with the BSUPD to help close the divide that sometime exists between police and members of the campus community.   

"I wanted to intern with any police department, but more specifically one that had a K9 unit,” Cruz said.  

It just so happens that the BSUPD has a K-9 unit but �徱���’t have a current opening.   

During the school year, the department had previously hired two interns to work with its two K9s: Zach, a community resource dog and explosive-detection K-9, and Mikey, a facility dog that works with community members and first responders. 

When approached by Bell and Diakite, the BSUPD welcomed the idea of adding a summer intern to work with the dogs.  

“In terms of my career, I want to work with K-9s, so when I learned that this opportunity was available, I was excited,” Cruz said.   

She applied, went through the interview process, and was hired.   

“����’s been an educational experience. I learn something new every day. I’m gaining a lot of knowledge about the K9s and when I enter the academy ��’l�� bring that knowledge with me,” Cruz said.  

Being able to intern in the summer months has also proven to be beneficial in other ways.  

“����’s been helpful because during the school year, things can get hectic. Being able to have this opportunity during the summer months allows me to give more attention to the job, it helps me to better focus on my career path,” Cruz said.    

As she gets ready to start her senior year this fall at BSU, Cruz said she feels better prepared for �ɳ󲹳�’s&�Բ�����;next and is more confident in her decision to pursue a career in law enforcement with plans to take the state civil service exam next year.   

“I’ve been able to learn about the protocols and procedures of the BSUPD and understand the roles that both Mikey and Zach play on campus, how they work and engage with the community,” she said. “����’s been a very positive experience and I definitely think this internship has helped me reach my goals, learn new things and I now have great references to get me where I want to go.”  

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

����’s been helpful because during the school year, things can get hectic. Being able to have this opportunity during the summer months allows me to give more attention to the job, it helps me to better focus on my career path.

Internship helps student study her Cape Verdean roots

For Carolyn King, ’23, an internship with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute was about much more than learning new skills. It also offered the opportunity to study her Cape Verdean roots.

Carolyn developed a museum exhibit comparing maritime topics in Cape Verde, a 10-island archipelago off the African coast, and Cape Cod. 

“I can’t overstate how grateful I am that I was picked to do this project,” said the �����ؿ���Ƶ State University psychology major from Wareham. “This internship has been a blessing. ����’s opened many doors for me.”

Carolyn, whose mother was born in Cape Verde, used print sources and interviews to build content and videos for the digital exhibit. Her work will be displayed at the Cape Cod Cape Verdean Museum & Cultural Center and shared more broadly by Woods Hole. She also helped design a digital map of Cape Verde that will be printed as a giant floor mat on which people can walk, providing visitors with an immersive experience.

Carolyn tackled the project with guidance from BSU mentors Dr. James Hayes-Bohanan, a geography professor, and Angelo Barbosa, director of the Pedro Pires Institute for Cape Verdean Studies.

“I see this as a part of the connections the institute is trying to build with Cape Verdean institutions in the area,” Barbosa said. “We’re creating real opportunities for the community to continue to discuss and understand the trajectories of Cape Verdeans.”

Massachusetts’ ties to Cape Verde date to the late 1700s, when whaling vessels from New Bedford visited the islands for supplies. Recognized for their maritime skills, Cape Verdeans soon began immigrating to the U.S. Today, Southeastern Massachusetts hosts one of the largest concentrations of Cape Verdeans living abroad.

Carolyn’s exhibit explores historical roots and contemporary issues such as fishing, water quality, and coastal resilience in the face of changing climate. These are topics that Woods Hole researchers study, creating a natural connection between the exhibit and the institute.

“From the first time I met with Carolyn, I was taken aback by her ambition and can-do attitude,” said Dr. Matt Charette, who directs the Woods Hole Sea Grant program through which Carolyn interned.  “For an undergraduate student, she is mature beyond where most of her peers are at.”

Carolyn, whose internship led to work on a second exhibit for the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center, has a passion for museums and learning about different cultures.

Ultimately, she is driven to tell the story of her family heritage.

“We played such a big role in this region but have not been recognized as much as we should,” Carolyn said of Cape Verdeans. “����’s really cool to teach others about this culture.”

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

I can’t overstate how grateful I am that I was picked to do this project. This internship has been a blessing. ����’s opened many doors for me.