Graduate students look back over their time at the university

Members of the College of Graduate Studies’ Classes of 2020 and 2021 are bringing compassion, tenacity and ingenuity to the world. And they credit their �����ؿ���Ƶ State University education with making it possible.

We asked several graduates to reflect on their time as Bears and how BSU set them up for success.

A Lesson in Perseverance

Jessica Mello’s advisees at Argosy Collegiate Charter School will not have far to look for inspiration: Mello’s higher education journey shows that obstacles are merely things to be surmounted.

The Somerset resident worked on her master’s degree in student affairs counseling while working, pregnant, raising her three children, and coping with a learning disability that makes reading more difficult.

“It was really hard being a non-traditional, first-generation college student with a disability most people didn’t know about,” said Mello, a visual learner who earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from BSU after graduating from Bristol Community College.

Mello, who is finishing her fieldwork this summer, didn’t share with others her disability until graduate school. The counselor education curriculum includes lessons on serving students with disabilities, prompting Mello to open up about her personal experience.

“They were super supportive,” she said. “I can’t say enough about the counselor education professors. That’s one of the things I love about the graduate program.”

Through mock counseling sessions and other hands-on learning, faculty brought out her confidence.

“I felt very prepared thanks to professors like Dr. (Katherine) Bender, Dr. (Nikki) Freeburg and Dr. (Victoria) Bacon who really challenge you in unique and encouraging ways,” she said.

As Argosy’s new dean of college and career readiness, she will serve students taking dual enrollment college classes and encourage middle schoolers to reach for their dreams. She looks forward to sharing her own story to illustrate what is possible.

“They’re capable of doing anything if they put their mind to it,” she said. “I know achieving my degrees is something that can never be taken from me.”

Illuminating new opportunities

Dr. Gale McCall, G’20, once didn’t know �����ؿ���Ƶ State even existed. The South Carolinian wasn’t familiar with northern schools.

Fortunately, her mentor was Michael Akinbola, G’17, an assistant athletic trainer and physical therapist for the New England Patriots. The BSU graduate recommended his alma mater’s athletic training program.

“I feel like I developed a lot of good relationships,” said McCall. “From everyone in the College of Graduate Studies to my professors and classmates, it was pretty tight-knit.”

She appreciated the funding available to students, which she said is superior to what she sees elsewhere. So too were the clinical rotations, where McCall worked at Harvard University, Stonehill College, and the Texas Legends of the NBA G League.

McCall, who earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Emory University, is already achieving her goal of working with professional athletes: She was head athletic trainer for the G League’s Long Island Nets this past season. And McCall knows her �����ؿ���Ƶ connections will be there for her into the future.

“If you say you want to do it, someone in that network is going to help you do it,” she said. “Every person I’ve met at BSU was a little bit of sunshine amid all the snow and rain in Massachusetts.”

Commitment to service

Cassandra Laslie, ’16, G’20, and Christopher Welch, ’18, G’20, came to �����ؿ���Ƶ as undergraduates unsure what their futures would hold. They graduated with Master of Public Administration degrees and a new outlook on rewarding careers.

“BSU has reshaped my life and my worldview,” said Welch, who is from Fall River and aims to earn a doctorate in environmental public policy.

Laslie, who is from East �����ؿ���Ƶ and studied art as an undergraduate, knew little about public and nonprofit work until graduate school.

“The word ‘constituent’ wasn’t even in my vocabulary,” she recalled. “It’s opened up my eyes to a totally different world.”

Laslie interned at Massachusetts Wonderfund, a nonprofit supporting children served by the state Department of Children and Families. She teaches high school art and plans to continue her BSU education in the fall to advance her teaching skills. Welch gained hands-on experience at Cape Cod Commission, a regional planning agency. He is a management fellow in the General Manager's Office for the Town of Norwood and aims to become a regional planner or a town manager.

“BSU helped me to understand what my purpose is and what career I would like to pursue,” said Welch, who has a graduate certificate in applied anthropology and bachelor’s degree in history.

Both benefited from BSU’s commitment to student success. Welch, whose mother survived COVID-19, received assistance paying his rent during the pandemic from the Student Emergency Fund. He appreciated the help of many political science professors, especially during the uncertain summer of 2020. Laslie praises the support of Dr. Melinda Tarsi, who she says will be a mentor and friend long after graduation.

“�����ؿ���Ƶ State overall has made me a more confident person,” she said. “They’ve introduced me to a ton of people who I know will be there for me when I’m looking for jobs.”

Twice as Nice

Patriots fan Taylor Schon, ’20, G’21, is eager to show off her accomplishments at commencement on the Gillette Stadium field. Thanks to her determination, she gets to do it twice.

“To me, it’s just a whole different feeling and experience because I am able to go and celebrate myself with my classmates,” said Schon, who will be recognized for her Master of Business Administration degree on July 29 and bachelor’s in management the next night. 

But she knows her time at BSU was about more than a ceremony.

“I think �����ؿ���Ƶ overall has shown me with my education what I can do in the real world,” said Schon, who is from Stoneham and completing her coursework this summer.

She’s a marketing assistant at engineering firm Weston & Sampson, a company for which she interned. Schon, who played ice hockey as a Bear, hopes for a career tied to her passion for both athletics and environmental protection.

She praised Dr. Kathleen Ferris-Costa, an associate professor in the Department of Management and Marketing, for her unwavering support and encouragement.

“Grad school is a lot different than undergrad,” she said. “It really opens your network and allows you to meet a lot more people.”

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

I think �����ؿ���Ƶ overall has shown me with my education what I can do in the real world.

Members of the Class of 2020 look back

Last year, when commencement was put on hold due to COVID-19, �����ؿ���Ƶ State University President Frederick W Clark Jr made a promise to the class of 2020 that the ceremonies would not be canceled.

Clark will prove as good as his word, when later this month members of the graduating class of 2020 will finally get their chance to celebrate when they walk the stage to collect their diplomas at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro.

We caught up with some members of the class of 2020 and asked them to reflect on what (finally) graduating from �����ؿ���Ƶ State University means to them.

I am so grateful to have attended and graduated from such a great institution like BSU. My professors, administrators, and classmates have taught me that persistence, integrity and hard work are the keys to success. I have been able to face many challenges and to overcome numerous obstacles due to the support system at BSU. So, thank you BSU for giving me a strong foundation for success.

Graduating from BSU is an honor like no other. BSU has become my support system, my community and my family, and I am so proud to become an alumnus of this university. I will always carry a piece of it with me.

“I love �����ؿ���Ƶ and am happy I will soon be graduating. Going here, I think it’s worth every penny I ever spent.

It does not stop at BSU even though they have definitely set me on the right path. I can’t wait to see where opportunity takes me.

From my very first day all the way to my last semester, I can’t emphasize enough how BSU helped me prepare for, set, and reach my goals. My professors were all instrumental in my success, whether it be my job or the awards I’ve received, they really helped lay out the path and walked it with me.

Two students discuss their roles in the National Guard’s pandemic response

When the Massachusetts Army National Guard was called to active duty in April to support of the nation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, some of the reserves were students studying at �����ؿ���Ƶ State University.

Two of those students, seniors Samantha Mulcahy and Joel Pollock, had to decide if they could balance school and service and commit to the voluntary activation.

Joel, a specialist in the reserves, will earn his accounting degree this summer. He determined he could balance his studies and opted to volunteer. His unit has been distributing personal protective equipment (such as face masks and shields), to local hospitals and other healthcare facilities.

Other National Guard units have also been called to help quell riots that evolved from recent peaceful protests. 

Samantha is also a specialist with the Guard. A first-generation student who played on the BSU women’s softball team, worked part-time, and held down an internship while working toward two degrees, she knew volunteering would be too much.

“It was a very hard decision,” she said. “Of course I wanted to protect and serve my country and state in times of need, however, being so close to finishing school and earning my degrees, I could not do that to myself,” she said.

Since COVID-19 first appeared in Massachusetts, members of the Massachusetts Army National Guard have been assisting many of the state’s healthcare workers, providing COVID-19 tests and setting up triage stations.

“They are helping in anyway they can,” Samantha said.

Now that she has graduated from BSU with her degrees in criminal justice and psychology, the Taunton native is considering her options. She has been accepted into BSU’s Mental Health Counseling program but is also applying for other jobs.

With three years left on her contract, she plans to continue serving in the National Guard.

Joel also plans to continue his service.

“My main goal post-graduation is to continue my search for a job where I can grow in the field of accounting,” he said. “My other goals are to save up enough money to buy a house and get promoted in the Massachusetts Army National Guard.”

Wherever their paths lead, both agree that BSU helped them get to where they are and where they want to go.

“BSU has helped me prepare for the future through the many opportunities they provide such as career services, job fairs, mock interviews and formal dining training,” Joel said. “However, the most significant thing that has helped me prepare is the relationships I developed with faculty members.”

Samantha is looking forward to applying all has learned at BSU toward whatever her future holds.

“I have had a very busy schedule for the past four years and receiving these degrees is such an accomplishment to me,” she said.

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

BSU has helped me prepare for the future through the many opportunities they provide...the most significant thing that has helped me prepare is the relationships I developed with faculty members.

The College of Graduate Studies’ Class of 2020 is ready to bring their compassion, expertise and ingenuity to the world. And, they credit their �����ؿ���Ƶ State University education with making it possible.

We asked several graduates to reflect on their time as Bears and how �����ؿ���Ƶ State set them up for success.

Illuminating new opportunities

Gale McCall once didn’t know �����ؿ���Ƶ State even existed. The South Carolinian wasn’t familiar with northern schools.

Fortunately, her mentor is Michael Akinbola, G’17, an assistant athletic trainer and physical therapist for the New England Patriots. The BSU graduate recommended his alma mater’s athletic training program.

“I feel like I developed a lot of good relationships,” said McCall. “From everyone in the College of Graduate Studies to my professors and classmates, it was pretty tight-knit.”

She appreciated the funding available to students, which she said is superior to what she sees elsewhere. So too were the clinical rotations, where McCall worked at Harvard University, Stonehill College and the Texas Legends of the NBA G League.

McCall, who earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Emory University, hopes to work with professional athletes. While the COVID-19 pandemic affects the job search, McCall knows her �����ؿ���Ƶ connections will be there for her when she’s ready.

“If you say you want to do it, someone in that network is going to help you do it,” she said. “Every person I’ve met at BSU was a little bit of sunshine in all the snow and rain in Massachusetts.”

Commitment to service

Cassandra Laslie and Christopher Welch came to �����ؿ���Ƶ as undergraduates unsure what their futures would hold. They’re leaving with Master of Public Administration degrees and a new outlook on rewarding careers.

“BSU has reshaped my life and my worldview,” said Welch, who is from Fall River and aims to earn a doctorate in environmental public policy.

Laslie, who is from East �����ؿ���Ƶ and studied art as an undergraduate, knew little about public and nonprofit work until graduate school. Now, she sees her future in the nonprofit sector.

“The word ‘constituent’ wasn’t even in my vocabulary,” she recalled. “It’s opened up my eyes to a totally different world.”

Laslie interned at Massachusetts Wonderfund, a nonprofit supporting children served by the state Department of Children and Families. Welch gained hands-on experience at Cape Cod Commission, a regional planning agency.

“BSU helped me to understand what my purpose is and what career I would like to pursue,” said Welch, who has a graduate certificate in applied anthropology and bachelor’s degree in history.

Both benefited from BSU’s commitment to student success. Welch, whose mother survived COVID-19, received assistance paying his rent during the pandemic from the Student Emergency Fund. Laslie praises the support of Dr. Melinda Tarsi, who will be a mentor and friend long after graduation.

“�����ؿ���Ƶ State overall has made me a more confident person,” she said. “They’ve introduced me to a ton of people who I know will be there for me when I’m looking for jobs.”

Planting seeds of change

Michelle Little started her career as a landscape designer. Thanks to her graduate studies in clinical psychology, she will help people blossom and grow as they overcome substance abuse and mental health challenges.

“The education was phenomenal,” said Little, a single mother from Whitman whose son, Michael Lauzon, is a BSU undergraduate. “Some of the courses I had were incredibly self-reflective and helped me figure out where I am in my development.”

Little, who earned her bachelor’s degree three decades ago, lost landscaping clients during the 2008 recession. That prompted her to reconsider her career and, because she has family who faced substance abuse disorders, pursue psychology.

She appreciated how easy it was to resume her education at �����ؿ���Ƶ, including taking several prerequisite classes before she could pursue a graduate degree.

“BSU absolutely prepared me well,” said Little, who has one more class to complete this summer. “It’s such a great program. I really learned so much. I’m going to miss school a lot.”

Little interned at Community Counseling of Bristol County and plans to continue working there, where her skills will be especially needed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I know that it’s going to explode,” she said of demand for mental health care. “There’s going to be a lot more people who need services.”

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

“�����ؿ���Ƶ State overall has made me a more confident person. They’ve introduced me to a ton of people who I know will be there for me when I’m looking for jobs.”

BRIDGEWATER – Nearly 2,400 graduate and undergraduate students at �����ؿ���Ƶ State University completed their academic programs over the course of the 2019-2020 academic year and are being recognized for their accomplishments by the university until they are able to attend their own commencement.

BSU’s 179^th Commencement Convocation for undergraduates and 12^th Graduate Commencement Convocation, scheduled for May 16 and May 14 respectively, were postponed by the university in March when the COVID-19 pandemic exploded nationally and regionally.

At that time, President Frederick W. Clark Jr. pledged to the campus community to hold the ceremonies and reiterated that promise to the 2020 graduates in a video message taped on the university’s historic quadrangle with the Class of 2020, university and college banners flowing from the columns of Boyden Hall in the background.

“We won’t let this pandemic define your time at BSU. Your time on campus was defined by your wonderful professors … the countless friends you have met … and by how you have grown during your time at �����ؿ���Ƶ,” President Clark said. “Most importantly, I hope you have discovered something about your passion and purpose in life.”

The commencement planning team at BSU has been developing alternative plans for how and when BSU will honor its 2020 graduates that included feedback from seniors received through BSU’s social media channels during the spring semester. An announcement to all graduates regarding the rescheduled commencement ceremonies is expected next month.

President Clark’s video message, as traditionally happens at the end of commencement ceremonies, welcomed the graduates to the BSU alumni community, which surpassed 75,000 with the Class of 2020’s graduate (454) and undergraduate (1,914) students.

“Our motto – ‘Not to be Ministered Unto, But to Minister’ – embodies the expectations we have of you as BSU graduates,” President Clark said. “Not to be taught but to teach. Not to be served, but to serve. We are all incredibly proud of you. We are Bears forever.”

A series of virtual events, which began this week with a Toast to the Class of 2020, will continue until the time that members of the class can experience their walk across the stage on Boyden’s historic quadrangle.

View Our List of Graduates

Graduate Degree Recipients

Undergraduate Degree Recipients

We won’t let this pandemic define your time at BSU.

Members of the Class of 2020 look back

Members of �����ؿ���Ƶ State University’s class of 2020 aren’t letting COVID-19 define them. In fact, in the face of the pandemic they have proven their resilience.

If ever a class was ready to take on the world, it's the class of 2020.

Their commencement ceremony, originally scheduled for May 16, has been postponed. But that didn’t stop these graduating Bears from looking back fondly over their time at the university.

We asked a selection of seniors to share how they will remember their overall BSU experience. This is what they had to say.

Coming from Cape Verde and having to adapt to the United States, I needed to be in a community where I felt I belonged and was accepted. BSU offered me the opportunity to create my own home away from home while helping me find myself and helping me learn more about how I can serve others around me. The BSU community offered me different platforms, opportunities and friends that have helped me find a purpose in life. Obrigado BSU!

My overall experience at BSU was definitely one to remember. I have grown a lot and have made many connections that I will keep with me, not only from among my peers but also the amazing faculty and administration that has supported me. I will remember the professors who enjoyed having me in their class, the clubs I joined and helped lead, the one-on-ones I had with my mentors, and all of the love that spread within the multicultural community. The support BSU gave me was all in all amazing and needed. Once a Bear, always a Bear.

I’ll remember BSU as the best four years of my life. It took me on a journey far beyond the classroom, giving me friends and memories for a lifetime and countless opportunities to be successful as a student and a professional.

I am going to remember all of the people who have helped me through my past four years. Everyone in the Center for Multicultural Affairs has left an impact on my life, whether they were a student, faculty or staff member. They have helped shape me into a better woman who can achieve anything I set my mind to.

I will remember my overall experience as inspiring. I came to BSU as a somewhat low GPA student, not interested in involvement or leadership, and set a very low bar for myself. I thought I’d be in and out in four years of classes. I proved to myself that I have the capacity to be a leader, work hard for decent grades, and make a difference in my own way. I now have the confidence, relationships and experience to put myself out there in the real world.