Staelle Dumeus has college in her sights. And, after spending several days at ���鵺��̳, the high schooler understands just how many possibilities a university degree can unlock.  

Staelle and about two dozen of her classmates from New Heights Charter School in Brockton recently spent four days visiting academic departments, touring a residence hall, and exploring their potential futures as ���鵺��̳ Bears.  

“It allowed me to see how college life is,” Staelle said. “It really helped me with my preparedness. I’m at the point in my life where people have asked what I want to do. Being at Bridgewater has made me think about it instead of just dismissing it.”  

As Massachusetts’ first early college charter school, New Heights students graduate with a high school diploma, at least 12 college credits and potentially even an associate degree. Many will become the first in their family to attend college, making programs such as the one at ���鵺��̳ even more important.  

“It gives students the opportunity to dream and dream big and know these opportunities exist in their backyard,” said Cecilia De Oliveira, executive director of student success and equity interventions, whose office organized the visit.  

Students spent a day at the flight training center at New Bedford Regional Airport (where some even had the opportunity to fly), and met with representatives of ���鵺��̳’s science, business, and communication studies programs.   

“It helps me know what to expect when coming onto a college campus because I’ve never been on a college campus before,” said New Heights student Jeremiah Olivenza.  

They also visited the Pride Center and LGCIE, two ���鵺��̳ departments committed to supporting students of color and members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

“They know there are people on campus who will support them and who look like them,” said Krystel Love, ’06, career development coordinator at New Heights.   

New Heights also brought students to local employers including a television station, courthouse, and the Statehouse. The goal, Love said, is for these incoming 10th graders to start thinking about life after high school.  

During a tour of ���鵺��̳’s Art Center, students painted and wrote on a large canvas titled “Make Your Mark.” Their work will join the approximately 10,000 other pieces of art in the university’s collection.  

Jay Block, associate director of collections and exhibitions, left the students with an inspirational message.  

“Be brave. Believe in yourself,” Block said. “Go out there and change the world because you can.”

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

It gives students the opportunity to dream and dream big and know these opportunities exist in their backyard.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic made online education ubiquitous, Brockton educators recognized that a virtual school has the potential to meet students’ unique educational needs.

With their vision now a reality, administrators at the Brockton Virtual Learning Academy are turning to faculty at ���鵺��̳ for help creating an even more effective and engaging online environment.

“During the pandemic, when we were forced into remote learning, we learned a lot by doing,” said Kristina Gallant, ’04, G’18, the academy’s coordinator. Now, “we want to make sure we’re experts in providing the best education possible to our students.”

Gallant, who has degrees in instructional technology and Spanish from Bridgewater, is among approximately 25 Brockton teachers, adjustment counselors, and administrators enrolled in ���鵺��̳’s Teaching in a Virtual/Online Setting graduate certificate program.

Taught entirely online, the four-course program is a perfect professional development opportunity for the academy, which opened in 2021 and serves about 200 K-12 Brockton students.

"It gives us an opportunity to learn so many different facets of teaching virtually,” said Principal Diane Lynch, ’84, who is also working on earning the certificate. “It helps us to explore what’s out there.”

Lynch and Gallant praised the program for giving school staff new tools and methods with which to engage students and assess their knowledge.

“Teaching in a virtual environment is much different than in a classroom face-to-face,” said Joanne McDonald, ’88, a part-time ���鵺��̳ faculty member who teaches in the certificate program. “They’re gaining that understanding of how it differs and the logistics of it all.”

The program also covers communication and collaboration, including working with therapists and other specialists who are an important part of online education. 

“We're fortunate that the university offers this unique program which supports the professional practice of educators working in what is a relatively new virtual learning environment,” said Brockton Superintendent Michael P. Thomas,  ’92, G’99, who praised ���鵺��̳ as an “invaluable partner” to his district.

McDonald is impressed by Brockton educators’ willingness to enhance their skills while working a demanding job.

“Kudos to all of them," she said. “They’re all so, so dedicated.”

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

We're fortunate that the university offers this unique program which supports the professional practice of educators working in what is a relatively new virtual learning environment.

When Christelle Jean-Francois, ’23, takes the stage this weekend with the Brockton Symphony Orchestra, it will represent an important step in her growth as a cellist.

“I’ve played the cello since I was little,” she said. “It’s in me. I can’t spend a day without my cello.”

The Marshfield resident is a music education major who hopes to one day lead a school string instrument program. Along with 2023 classmates Sarah Fernandes and Daniel Alves – both percussionists and music education majors – she joined the orchestra at the invitation of conductor and ���鵺��̳ professor, Donald Running. The students play alongside a mix of professional and amateur musicians, including several other Bridgewater faculty members.

"We need new, young musicians and excited musicians that want to be part of what we’re doing,” Running said of involving ���鵺��̳ students. “Playing in a symphony orchestra is a really different experience for our students.”

With few people in their sections, the students must truly master their parts for the group to succeed. They learn to blend their instruments into the ensemble and perform challenging pieces at fast tempos. And, they see Running use the conducting strategies he taught them in the classroom. 

They also appreciate his willingness to bring students into the group.

“He could have easily gotten someone who graduated five years ago, but he chose active students to do this,” said Daniel, a Brockton High School graduate who looks forward to performing with his hometown orchestra. 

The group’s upcoming concert will feature the premiere of “Soaring Over the White Mountains,” composed by adjunct faculty member and tuba player David Vess.

Orchestras, Daniel said, are not as prevalent as other ensembles, making this experience even more important.

“It’s definitely a privilege to have been selected to be performing,” said Sarah, who is from New Bedford. “It’s like a threshold for me, trying to reach the next tier of my professional career and being able to make more connections and play music on a higher level.”

The Brockton Symphony Orchestra takes place March 6 at 3 p.m. at Christ Congregational Church in Brockton.

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

It’s definitely a privilege to have been selected to be performing. It’s like a threshold for me, trying to reach the next tier of my professional career and being able to make more connections and play music on a higher level.

Dabana Intenque, ’23, immigrated with his family from Guinea-Bissau to Brockton in search of a better life. With support from his new community and ���鵺��̳, that goal is now within reach.

Dabana is one of 23 ���鵺��̳ students from Brockton who received $2,000 scholarships from the Pilgrim Foundation, a charitable organization that supports the city’s youth.

“It means a lot to me, just being selected to receive a scholarship,” said Dabana, whose mother works multiple jobs to support the family. “It’s a great motivator in my career as a student.”

The foundation, which began almost a century ago with a gift from oil and rubber investor Edgar B. Davis, decided to support these Bears after learning from ���鵺��̳ President Frederick W. Clark Jr. that students sometimes struggle to persist in their college education.

"We gave them $2,000 directly to meet some of their life challenges," said Ray Ledoux, president of the foundation. "This can help take the pressure off while they're going to school."

The scholarships are unique because students can use the money as they see fit.

“That’s a different level of trust from an organization to allow students to make the decisions that best serve their needs,” said Dr. Deniz Leuenberger, ���鵺��̳’s chief of staff and vice president for planning and strategy.

Dabana, who immigrated to the U.S. in 2017, aspires to be a software and web developer. He is part of the Honors Program, as well as the math, computer science, and Bible study clubs. 

“���鵺��̳ changed my life,” said Dabana, a computer science major with minors in math, statistics, and African studies. “I’m thankful for the professors. I’m thankful for the school. ... Bridgewater put me on the right path.”

Dabana also recognizes how the scholarship is much more than an investment in its 23 recipients. It is a commitment to the Brockton community.

“When you help one person, you don’t know how many people that one person can help,” he said. “I’m not going to waste one penny.”

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

It means a lot to me, just being selected to receive a scholarship. It’s a great motivator in my career as a student.

Founding a music conservatory is not easy, but Greg Fernandes, ’13, had the necessary motivation and personal experience, as well as a ���鵺��̳ education.

Rose Conservatory, the result of his hard work, is located in Fernandes’ hometown of Brockton. Named after his mother, it offers orchestral, West African drumming, choral, violin and other programs.

“It feels like the last 20 years of my life all combined into one space – all of my experiences, all of my successes, all of my downfalls, all of my education,” he said.

Fernandes’ path to ���鵺��̳ took a few twists and turns. As a child, he studied the violin and piano, only to discover that made him a target of bullying in high school. Wanting to feel accepted, he fell into the gang lifestyle and sold drugs, falsely believing that was the cool thing to do.

“It got to be exceptionally traumatic and really hard on a young kid figuring out life,” he said.

Yet Fernandes never completely abandoned music and played the violin at night. After time in jail for selling drugs, he committed to turning his life around.

Music was the mechanism to accomplish that. He spent time with family in Florida, where he taught at a Boys and Girls club. His mom was a music educator and Fernandes always wanted to follow in her footsteps. But his options were limited without a music degree.

After she died in 2010, Fernandes recommitted himself to finishing his education and returned to ���鵺��̳, a university he had briefly attended after high school.

“Bridgewater prepared me for the real world,” Fernandes said. “Everyone had a different teaching style, so it forced you to be able to deal with different people in different situations. That’s what the real world is all about.”

His professors remember him as a driven man.

“He was a determined student,” recalled Dr. Sarah McQuarrie, a music professor who was his advisor. “He had a plan, and nothing was going to stand in his way.”

Fernandes appreciated the support of McQuarrie and Dr. Donald Running, and the tough classes with professors such as Dr. Steven Young, that made him a better musician.

“The music department wasn’t huge, but it was a very tight-knit, supportive, encouraging environment,” Fernandes said. “There were times when I did feel like giving up, but there were lots of staff and students who really had my back.”

He reflects that the conservatory he founded is the kind of place he desperately needed growing up as a teenager whose peers did not embrace his musical talent.

“How many other musicians have we lost that way?” he wondered.  

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

Bridgewater prepared me for the real world. Everyone had a different teaching style, so it forced you to be able to deal with different people in different situations. That’s what the real world is all about.

Fifty Brockton residents lost their lives to opioid overdoses last year. Now, federal funding will allow the city to team with its longtime partner ���鵺��̳ to help in the battle against addiction.

���鵺��̳ will oversee $1.3 million that is part of the federal government’s HEALing Communities Study, an effort to identify practices that can be implemented across the country to reduce opioid addiction. The program will also create new internships for ���鵺��̳ students who will directly assist in the project.  

Brockton is one of 67 participating communities aiming to reduce opioid overdose deaths over the next three years by 40 percent. The $1.3 million will be used to hire a coordinator, fund student internships, and take other steps to develop and implement an action plan.

Brockton officials “wanted ���鵺��̳ to play a larger role because of our past successes in leadership in the opioid arena,” said Vinny deMacedo, Bridgewater’s director of regional partnerships and a proponent of taking action on the opioid front since his days as a state representative. “I felt this was one of the most important issues we as a commonwealth have to address.”

Bridgewater has long played a role in responding to the opioid crisis. Administrators serve on task forces and the university was the first higher education institution in the country to make the overdose reversal drug Narcan publicly available across campus.

The problem also strikes close to the ���鵺��̳ community as students cope with family members who are battling or passed away from addiction.

“It’s one of the main reasons for Bridgewater to get involved,” said Dr. Chris Frazer, executive director of the Wellness Center.

The study, which is led in Massachusetts by Boston Medical Center, will also deliver a direct benefit to ���鵺��̳ students with up to 10 internships per semester. Interns could come from social work, psychology, public health and other disciplines. Their roles could include research and data analysis as well as directly serving partner organizations.

“It gets our students out there in the community,” Frazer said. “It builds a pipeline to go out and do really meaningful work.” 

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

Brockton officials “wanted ���鵺��̳ to play a larger role because of our past successes in leadership in the opioid arena."