Meet the Graduates

Brigitta Dzissah

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Jan 2020 15:35:58 +0000

Brigitta Dzissah Anonymous Thu, 01/09/2020 - 10:35

Campus leader sets eyes on medical career

May 17, 2019

Heather Harris Michonski

Story Series

Meet the Graduates

Many leave a place wondering if their efforts have made a difference. Brigitta Dzissah, ’19, doesn’t have to speculate, she can be assured her legacy will live on long after she graduates from ��ؿ��Ƶ State University.

She departs BSU on May 18 as the first president of the inaugural Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) chapter, Upsilon Iota, the school’s first-ever black Greek letter organization. This past Dec. 8, the chapter inducted its first ��ؿ��Ƶ students.

“I’m proud to be able to help bring something here that helps people of color connect more,” Brigitta said.

For more than a decade, Diane Bell, internship program director, had championed the idea of bringing AKA to ��ؿ��Ƶ. Working alongside Bell, Brigitta played an important role in landing the sorority through marketing and recruitment activities.

“I kept rallying the girls, explaining to them that this is our vision and a great moment for ��ؿ��Ƶ State,” Brigitta said.

Now that AKA has found a home at BSU, Brigitta recognizes just how monumental it is.

“We are the first state school in Massachusetts to have an AKA chapter,” she said. “Our vision finally came true. We now have something on campus that not only people of color can join, but girls who want to make a difference.”

Making a difference has long been a theme in Brigitta’s life. As an undergraduate she participated in Jumpstart, a national early education organization that trains college students to serve preschool children in under-resourced communities. At BSU, students in Jumpstart provide services to children in Brockton.

“I love kids, I love working with kids,” Brigitta said. “I was able to help kids that were being held back because they were delayed. We were the people who helped them get caught up.”

The experience gained through Jumpstart aligns well with Brigitta’s career goal of becoming a pediatrician. She plans to build off of her health studies degree and attend medical school. She currently is exploring which school is the best fit.

Brigitta’s interest in becoming a doctor dates to her childhood.

When her family moved from her native Italy to the Bronx, New York, she struggled with language and cultural differences.

It was her family doctor at the time who provided assistance, helping her find her way.

“She didn’t discriminate,” Brigitta said. “In some ways, I felt like she was my second mom because of the connection she made with us.”

As a pediatrician she hopes to create those types of connections with her patients.

While looking forward to medical school, Brigitta pauses for a moment to look back.

“I came to ��ؿ��Ƶ because a family friend told me about it, what a great state school it was, and assured me that they would help me graduate, to try it out, that I would love it,” Brigitta said.

The friend was right.

“I decided to come here and I ended up liking it. At BSU everyone knows you on a first-name basis,” she said.

For Brigitta that intimacy made all the difference.

“In college, every day is a different adventure. There are so many storms but you figure it out as you go,” Brigitta said.

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

I’m proud to be able to help bring something here that helps people of color connect more.

Brigitta Dzissah

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Meet the Graduates

Krysta Parrell

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Jan 2020 15:35:58 +0000

Krysta Parrell Anonymous Thu, 01/09/2020 - 10:35

Social work major found a home and her place in the world

May 15, 2019

Heather Harris Michonski

Story Series

Meet the Graduates

As she stood in the doorway of yet another foster home clutching garbage bags filled with her belongings, 12-year-old Krysta Parrell would have had a hard time recognizing herself today – as a soon-to-be graduate of ��ؿ��Ƶ State University.

In fact, at that time going to college was the last thing on her mind. All she wanted was a place to put her things and a roof over her head.

“I thought, ‘Oh no, this isn’t going to work,’” she said.

But it did work, and for the last 10 years Krysta, who bounced between foster homes since birth, found her footing due in large part to Linda and Pete Close of Weymouth. For 18 years the couple has provided a home for foster children through the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families.

The lack of stability was understandably hard, and when she arrived at the Close home, she was angry.

“Krysta has been my most challenging child but my most rewarding,” Linda said, as her foster daughter prepares to collect her bachelor’s degree in social work. “It was tough the first few years, we weren’t sure we were going to make it… I just kept praying.”

The prayers were evidently heard, and over time trust was built. From that trust Krysta was able to develop the confidence she needed.

After high school she attended Massasoit Community College, where a glitch in the system accidently registered “human services” as her major.

“Initially I wanted nothing to do with social work, but after taking the core classes I fell in love with it,” Krysta said. “I realized that maybe this is my purpose, that maybe I was supposed to have gone through all of this in my life in order to do something good with it.”

Eventually she transferred to BSU because of its social work program. She opted to live in one of the residence halls, and upon stepping foot on campus immediately felt at home.

“The theme in my life was, ‘I wanted a place to put my stuff.’ It is a big thing for me. Living on campus I felt that I had my own area. Being part of the resident community opened up so many doors for me. I got so involved because of how welcome I felt,” Krysta said.

While at BSU, she went on study tours to Italy and Israel, and has been an orientation leader, vice president of the National Residence Hall Honorary, a research assistant in the Department of Social Work, member of the Program Council and sister of Alpha Sigma Tau.

Most importantly, Krysta started to share her story and emerge as a voice for students in foster care.

“I really think it’s a population that people don’t talk about, it doesn’t get recognized as much as it needs to be,” she said. “Many aren’t as open to sharing their story as I am, but I feel I needed to speak up, to help others. I’ve had to advocate for myself a lot and I don’t want others to feel they are alone, I want them to know there are resources.”

If anyone is proof that one can overcome circumstances, it’s Krysta. A lot has changed since that scared 12-year-old girl arrived at the Close’s house holding garbage bags full of belongings. Next year she is hoping to attend the University of North Carolina where she plans to pursue a master’s degree in social work.

Looking back at her time at BSU, tears welled up in her eyes.

“BSU has done so much for me that I can’t put it into words. I share my story because it is worth telling and I want it to change lives,” she said. “��ؿ��Ƶ State University is my home and my family. I would not be who I am today if not for ��ؿ��Ƶ.”

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

��ؿ��Ƶ State University is my home and my family. I would not be who I am today if not for ��ؿ��Ƶ.

Krysta Parrell, '19

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Meet the Graduates

Rosanna Bello

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Jan 2020 15:35:58 +0000

Rosanna Bello Anonymous Thu, 01/09/2020 - 10:35

Brockton native discovered her voice and a love of science

May 14, 2019

Brian Benson

Story Series

Meet the Graduates

As a freshman, Rosanna Bello hated chemistry and thought she wasn’t good at it. So, you may be surprised to find the ��ؿ��Ƶ State University biology major graduating this month with minors in chemistry and biochemistry.

During her time as a Bear, Rosanna passed a challenging organic chemistry class and realized that with effort she could succeed at subjects she once deemed too difficult.

“I learned to push myself here. That’s something I really value about this school,” the Brockton High School graduate said. “They give you opportunities and, if there’s no opportunity, you can always create one.”

That’s what Rosanna did for her classmates when she realized students in the Bartlett College of Science and Mathematics didn’t often interact across different majors. Figuring they’ll need to know how to collaborate with other disciplines in the workforce, Rosanna helped start STEM Olympics to bring students together.

She’s also not afraid to speak to Dean Kristen Porter-Utley about ways to improve the college. That confidence is another lesson from BSU.

“The freshman me versus the senior me has grown tremendously,” Rosanna said. “I definitely feel more comfortable speaking to new people.”

Sydné Marrow, director of the Center for Multicultural Affairs, recalled Rosanna’s transformation from timid to self-confident.

“She was never more animated than when she came in to tell me about her opportunity to shadow a doctor in the Dominican Republic this summer, and how this experience was helping her to realize her dream of medical school and all of the possibilities that she didn’t, that she couldn’t see, when she first arrived here at BSU,” Marrow said.

Rosanna, a first-generation college student, was initially hesitant to attend ��ؿ��Ƶ. Now, she’s glad she became a Bear.

“I feel like here it’s a family environment. It’s very caring. The teachers actually know my name when I pass by,” she said. At other schools, “I just would have been a number.”

In addition to the internship in the Dominican Republic (where her parents are from), Rosanna will take summer classes at BSU as she prepares for medical school. She hopes to work in research to gain more experience beforehand.

Rosanna wants to become an infectious diseases physician, career aspirations inspired by a friend who contracted Lyme disease. Her goal highlights one more BSU lesson: the importance of serving others.

“People are always sick from something,” she said. “It’s a field where I can always help pinpoint what it is and just be there for the patient, for the family, and for the community.”

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

I learned to push myself here. That’s something I really value about this school. They give you opportunities and, if there’s no opportunity, you can always create one.

Rosanna Bello, '19

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Meet the Graduates

John Whittemore and Logan Healy

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Jan 2020 15:35:58 +0000

John Whittemore and Logan Healy Anonymous Thu, 01/09/2020 - 10:35

Transit employees graduate with the experience necessary to navigate their futures

May 13, 2019

Heather Harris Michonski

Story Series

Meet the Graduates

Some parents and graduates boarding the transit bus during commencement might notice their driver is decked out in a cap and gown.

It’s not simply because the driver is feeling festive, it’s because the ��ؿ��Ƶ State University transit system is run by students, and the seniors who work in the program are taking their “last ride” to the stage on the Boyden Quadrangle.

The transit program is overseen by Stefanie Eaton, associate director of Facilities Management. BSU Transit employs 36 student drivers and seven student managers.

Their responsibilities include picking up and transporting community members on campus during the school year and driving BSU athletic teams as far as New Jersey to compete. Drivers also make five runs Monday through Friday to Brockton, as part of the “Boston to ��ؿ��Ƶ” free shuttle service.

Soon-to-be double Bear John Whittemore, ’17, G’19, and Logan Healy, ’19, are two of the senior transit workers scheduled to take their “last ride” on graduation day.

“This isn’t your average student job, it’s a lot of responsibility. Anytime I’m behind the wheel I have $1 million of liability in my two hands,” John said. “There are people’s lives onboard and that is something that no insurance policy can cover.”

For six years John has worked for BSU Transit. During that time, he played an integral role in revamping the night service program when it was absorbed from the BSU Police.

“He helped to create and put in place much of the infrastructure for the system that we still now operate,” Eaton said.

John’s efforts were noticed and opened the doors to a career with the Brockton Area Transit Authority (BAT). He currently works part-time at BAT and will transition to full-time as an assistant general manager after he collects his master’s degree in business administration.

BSU leases it transit vehicles from BAT, and as a night manager John was in constant contact with administrators there to ensure the buses were safe.

“We are thrilled John recently accepted the position, as I believe it will strengthen our relationship with BAT,” Eaton said. “He instinctively knew what needed to be done, how to communicate and respond professionally to every circumstance that arose, all the while keeping an optimistic and energized demeanor.”

From managing employees, interacting with community members, reviewing data, safety and maintenance checks, John said working for BSU Transit helped him define his strengths and develop a skill set.

“Learning isn’t always done in the classroom,” he said. “We are exposed to real-life situations outside of the classroom setting and preparing for the real world… I wouldn’t say driving a bus is my passion, but I found that managing and operations is. I enjoy it.”

After he graduates with a degree in criminal justice, Logan is hoping to follow in John’s footsteps and earn an MBA.

The Framingham native struggled early on, and didn’t always take his role in transit all that seriously. His attitude caused him to be demoted from manger to driver his sophomore year.

It was a wake-up call.

“Instead of being upset, I learned from it. You can make mistakes but if you come back stronger, people can see that you’ve changed, they will give you another chance,” Logan said.

He eventually reapplied and was hired on as a night manager.

“We know the goal is to help these students succeed and give them real-world experience,” Eaton said. “However, it is never easy when they leave us, especially drivers and managers like Logan who we come to depend on so much. They just make it a safe and all around fun place to work.”

As they get ready to walk across the commencement stage to collect their diplomas, both men agree that succeeding in life comes down to effort.

“Working here in transit has definitely set me up for my future, but you get out of it what you put into it,” John said. “If you put a lot into what you are doing here at BSU, you will get something back.”

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

If you put a lot into what you are doing here at BSU, you will get something back.

John Whittemore

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Meet the Graduates

Emily Santos, ’19

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Jan 2020 15:35:58 +0000

Emily Santos, ’19 Anonymous Thu, 01/09/2020 - 10:35

Senior aids others as a way to thank those who helped her

May 9, 2019

Heather Harris Michonski

Story Series

Meet the Graduates

For a long time, Emily Santos, ’19, remained silent. However, she’s verbal now and helping others to discover the joy of language.

Born prematurely and developmentally delayed, Emily did not start talking until she was 3.

“My speech therapist is the reason I have a voice today… I want to help children and adults the same way my therapist helped me,” the Mendon native said.

Through Dr. Karen Aicher, Emily became aware of the Book Fairy Pantry Project, a grassroots family literacy movement where volunteers collect new and gently used children’s books and deliver them to participating food pantries for families to take home.

As a member of the BSU National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association (NSSLHA), Emily organized and brought the project to campus and is asking community members to drop off books at donation boxes located in Boyden Hall, Burnell Hall and the Moakley Center.

Books should be geared toward children age 10 and younger.

“Families visiting the food pantry don’t have the resources or time to go to the library or bookstore to pay for books. This is a great way to give families a little more support and to get books in the home for children,” Emily said.

Getting the books into children’s homes not only strengthens the parent-child bond but also improves literacy.

“These books benefit families because it allows parents to read to their child. Creating a bond by interacting through books has been proven to improve literacy rates,” Emily said. “Children who are not exposed to books don’t know how to read once they get into elementary school and fall behind when they get into the classroom.”

After Emily graduates, the program will live on through the NSSHLA.

The ambitious Bear made the most of her time on campus, including taking part in BSU’s Children’s Physical Developmental Clinic, a nationally recognized academic program where students volunteer as clinicians and work with individuals, aged 18 months to 18 years, with disabilities.

She served as president of Operations Smile, a club that raises money for children and adults around the world who need surgery to correct cleft palates, and volunteered at Boston’s Massachusetts Eye and Ear, where she worked in the voice and speech laboratory, shadowing four speech language pathologists.

Emily also worked in the Whitman-Hanson district’s preschools, observing in the classroom and providing support to teachers.

The soon-to-be-graduate said all of these experiences are valuable and give her confidence to embark on the next leg of her journey – graduate school at Worcester State University, where she will study to become a speech-language pathologist.

“My experience at BSU formulated who I am today. I wouldn’t be going to graduate school if not for the support I’ve received here,” she said. “I encourage students to step out of their comfort zones, do things you’ve never done before. ��ؿ��Ƶ has done more for me than I ever thought it could. Take advantage of all the opportunities out there.”

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

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First Speech-Language Pathology Graduates

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Jan 2020 15:35:58 +0000

First Speech-Language Pathology Graduates Anonymous Thu, 01/09/2020 - 10:35

Speaking Highly: Students discuss benefits of new graduate program

May 7, 2019

Brian Benson

Story Series

Meet the Graduates

Students in one of ��ؿ��Ƶ State University’s newest graduate programs know struggling to speak shouldn’t be an impediment to communicating. And, they are ready to give a voice to those who might otherwise go voiceless.

Four members of the inaugural graduate speech-language pathology class reflected on their time in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders as undergraduate and graduate students:

Nicole Goulart, ’16, G’19, Braintree:

Nicole traces her career choice to her father, Christopher Goulart, who has achalasia, a rare disorder that affects swallowing.

As for a career, she hopes to work with high school students. ��ؿ��Ƶ, she said, was a natural higher education destination because of its location, affordability and small class sizes.

“The professors have always been supportive and encouraging,” she said. “Whenever I needed extra one-on-one attention, because the class size is so small, they always facilitated that. … They really shaped me into who I am today.”

Courtney Sheridan, ’17, G’19, Quincy:

Courtney, too, has a personal reason for pursuing this career: Her younger cousin saw a speech therapist.

“I just really liked the idea of helping people use the skill we all have and take for granted,” she said. “It’s extremely challenging for other people and I like helping them overcome those challenges.”

Courtney, who also aims to work with children, praised her graduate education for providing an opportunity to work closely with faculty, as well a diverse range of clinical placements in school, hospital and private practice settings.

“The small classes helped me to grow as a student,” she said. “I got to know my professors better. I feel like I’ve been able to advocate for myself.”

Theresa Zeoli, ’15, G’19, ��ؿ��Ƶ:

Theresa knew the importance of her field from a young age as she observed speech therapists while shadowing her mother on the job at a nursing home. That experience helped shape her career aspirations, although she hopes to help a younger age group.

“I just get kids. I work well with them. I really like teaching more of the basic skills, focused on whether they know how to greet someone or express their wants and needs,” said Theresa, who aspires to serve children who need alternative forms of communication, such as an electronic speech generating device.

��ؿ��Ƶ is an integral part of her family. Her dad worked here as a food service director in the 1990s and her sister is a Bear. So, it’s no surprise she chose BSU for her education.

“The extra two years really does provide a lot of information,” Theresa said of graduate school. “I feel way more specialized than before.”

Brielyn O’Leary, ’16, G’19, Quincy:

Brielyn came to BSU as a 17-year-old undergraduate not sure what she wanted to do. Serving with BSU’s Children's Physical Developmental Clinic, a program that allows students to work as clinicians with children with disabilities, helped Brielyn realize speech-language pathology is for her.

“I feel that language and my ability to speak is one of my best skills,” she said. “I like the idea of helping others.”

Brielyn praised supportive faculty such as Dr. Ahmed Abdelal. Bears graduate with exceptional knowledge comparable to their peers at more well-known schools and the confidence to research topics they may not have studied in class.

“We have the skills now to teach ourselves what the best thing to do is,” Brielyn said. “I feel prepared going out into the world.”

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

We have the skills now to teach ourselves what the best thing to do is. I feel prepared going out into the world.

Brielyn O’Leary, ’16, G’19

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Meet the Graduates

Daniel Moriarty Shines at Statehouse

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Jan 2020 15:35:58 +0000

Daniel Moriarty Shines at Statehouse Anonymous Thu, 01/09/2020 - 10:35

Political science major selected for statewide honor

May 3, 2019

Brian Benson

Story Series

Meet the Graduates

When Daniel Moriarty, ’19, received a vague request to meet with President Frederick W. Clark Jr., '83, he wondered if he was in trouble. That couldn’t have been further from the truth.

He actually learned he is ��ؿ��Ƶ State University’s 2019 representative to the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education’s 29 Who Shine. Gov. Charlie Baker honored Daniel and students from all state public higher education institutions at a statehouse ceremony Friday.

“I was humbled by it,” said Daniel, a political science major minoring in ��ؿ��Ƶ innovation and outreach. “It’s a real honor, especially given that I’m not in honors or really that involved on campus in the traditional ways you expect to be recognized.”

But Daniel credits BSU for sparking his passion for improving local agriculture in the face of climate change. Through ��ؿ��Ƶ’s Adrian Tinsley Program for Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship, he studied ways farmers can use the internet, renewable energy, robotics and other technologies to improve business, respond to climate change and reduce their environmental impact.

“It’s very important that communities proactively become food secure on their own terms, so the purpose of my research was to look at how communities can best do that with a focus on Massachusetts,” said Daniel, who is from Dartmouth.

As an undergraduate, he helped launch FarmThrift, an online farmers market delivery service, and started content writing. He completed internships with Water Hero, which developed technology to protect buildings from water leaks, as well as the Office of Jeremy Rifkin. Rifkin advises European Union leadership and writes about the effects of scientific and technological change on the environment and society.

“Danny represents the best of BSU in that he has taken full advantage of everything we offer here at the institution to transform student lives,” said Dr. Jenny Shanahan, who nominated him for 29 Who Shine.

He will use innovation to move Massachusetts forward and change the world, according to Shanahan, BSU’s assistant provost for high-impact practices.

“He’s one of those young people of the current generation in college who takes quite seriously this idea that climate change is our most significant crisis and that people need to make significant changes,” she said.

Daniel, who praised supportive faculty such as Drs. Ryan LaBrozzi, Inkyoung Kim and Rachel Navarre, will continue his entrepreneurial activities and learn new skills in carpentry, electrical work, and sustainable agriculture – all to help farmers and the planet.

“I didn’t know what I wanted to do before I came here,” he said. “Now, I’m set for post-graduation in terms of employment, and it’s all a product of what I learned here.”

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

I didn’t know what I wanted to do before I came here. Now, I’m set for post-graduation in terms of employment, and it’s all a product of what I learned here.

Daniel Moriarty, '19, on his time at BSU

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