While growing up, Alexandria Pesa, ’21, was no stranger to hospitals as she overcame severe scoliosis that required surgery. Despite the support she received, she felt something missing from her life during her time in the hospital: music.

“It would have been helpful to have something to uplift me during the hard times,” the ���鵺��̳ student said. “I want to do that for others.”

���鵺��̳ is helping Alexandria accomplish that goal. She is one of the first students pursuing a pre-music therapy concentration within the music major. Students complete core psychology, science, and music courses that are needed for studying the field in graduate school.

“We are making it easier for students who want to become music therapists to get into graduate school,” said Kari O’Briant, a part-time faculty member in the Department of Music.

Bridgewater State is working with Cambridge’s Lesley University, which offers the closest graduate program.

The growing field combines music with other disciplines. Therapists improve lives by working with clients in hospitals, schools, homes and elsewhere; people of all ages need their services.

“It’s so rewarding because I get to see my clients grow and change through music,” said O’Briant, who is also a music therapist. “It’s a wonderful thing we get to share together.”

O’Briant encourages ���鵺��̳ students wondering if the career is for them to take an introductory course in the discipline.

Alexandria, who is from Norton and also studying music education, hopes to pursue a degree in music therapy in graduate school and work in a hospital. She’s grateful that ���鵺��̳ is offering the concentration.

“I’m just really excited,” she said. “I’ve always been a people person. … I want to help people like everyone did for me.”

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

We are making it easier for students who want to become music therapists to get into graduate school.

Even the pandemic cannot stop students from exploring the globe. Now, they’re doing so without leaving home.

To that end, ���鵺��̳ students participated in course-based virtual exchanges with peers from other nations.

“You’re traveling, but you’re not really traveling,” said Christian Cabral, ’22, an aspiring physical education teacher who is collaborating with Japanese students. “It’s nice to see faces and hear everyone’s voices.” 

���鵺��̳ received a grant from the American Council on Education to support the initiative, which connected students taking physical education classes with Dr. Karen Richardson at ���鵺��̳ and Dr. Naoki Suzuki at Tokyo Gakugei University in Japan.

Japanese and American students worked in groups to compare each other’s physical education systems. Swimming, for instance, the Bridgewater students learned, is a staple of Japanese physical education, unlike in the U.S.

“Through the cross-cultural exchange, students from Japan and the U.S. are collaborating and working together as global citizens in the field of physical education,” Suzuki said.

Students hope to incorporate aspects of each other’s educational systems in their future classrooms.  

“It’s not necessary to make it the same,” said Yuka Saito, a Tokyo Gakugei sophomore studying to be a physical education teacher. “I think good points should be shared with each other.”

A separate exchange connected a political science class taught by Dr. Inkyoung Kim of ���鵺��̳ and an international relations course taught by Dr. Sung Ho Park of Yonsei University in South Korea. Those students researched and debated systems of government and elections.

Global education is even more important during COVID-19 when students feel isolated, said Richardson, a professor in the Department of Movement Arts, Health Promotion and Leisure Studies.

“They were able to have these connections and really feel their world is opening up in new ways,” she said. “We’re thrilled to have this collaboration.”

The pandemic allowed students to bond over the shared challenges they faced.

“It’s been really helpful to see other people dealing with a similar situation,” said Mark Bentley, a post-baccalaureate student working toward his teaching licensure. “It’s nice to have a common thing we can all relate to.”

Japanese and American students appreciated the chance to broaden their horizons in a time when studying abroad is not possible.

“In this pandemic, we can’t do such things, but through this program we can connect with other students from foreign countries,” said Shiori Yamaguchi, a Tokyo Gakugei junior studying to become an English teacher. “I think it’s very important.”

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

“They were able to have these connections and really feel their world is opening up in new ways. We’re thrilled to have this collaboration.”

A new graduate program for current and aspiring tennis professionals is serving up all aces, according to its first students.

The professional tennis management certificate, developed by ���鵺��̳ in partnership with the U.S. Tennis Association, is the first of its kind in New England. It prepares students for careers in all facets of the game, from coaching to running tennis facilities and organizations. Participants complete the certificate separately or as part of a master’s degree in physical education.

The six-course program includes a two-week residency on campus, where students work in the classroom, on the courts and in the community.

We spoke with two students about their experiences:

Putting a new spin on a lifelong pastime

Sara Hewitt has enjoyed tennis her whole life, but she never played the game using her non-dominant hand until she pursued the certificate.

“It really showed you a very unique perspective and really opened my eyes,” Hewitt said, adding it helped her understand new players’ struggles.

Hewitt particularly appreciated the residency, where students bonded with each other over a game they love and developed relationships with faculty.

“Other universities are so big. You want to feel a part of the program,” said Hewitt, who completed her residency in 2019. “We were able to establish great working relationships with all of our professors and colleagues in the program.”

Hewitt, who lives in Florida, completed the program’s internship requirement at the USTA’s headquarters, where she also works in operations. She was recently nominated to serve on the board of the USTA Florida Section Foundation, which financially supports organizations that help people of all ages and abilities experience the sport.

Hewitt continues to promote ���鵺��̳ to people interested in expanding their tennis knowledge.

“Even though I completed the program, I will always be a supporter of Bridgewater State and am so honored to have had the experience,” she said.

Turning coaching inside out

Jordan Zimmerman, G’21, is turning the traditional model of coaching on its head because of lessons from his master’s program.

Traditionally, coaches teach technique before athletes play a game at the end of a practice. Zimmerman now does the opposite. By playing tennis first, they realize what skills they need to improve.

“That was one of the first things I learned, and I’ve used it every day since,” he said.

Zimmerman, who picked up the sport in high school at the encouragement of his friends, is now assistant director of tennis growth at the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park, Maryland. He has a bachelor’s degree in education from Nebraska Wesleyan University, but Zimmerman found better career opportunities in tennis.

He praises his professors, including Drs. Jennifer Mead, Karen Richardson and Tim Hopper, for challenging traditional ways of coaching and presenting research on alternative methods. Instead of dictating what players do, Zimmerman learned to be student-centered and let athletes make decisions about their development.

“They have stepped up and found a way to make this program something really special,” he said. “It was amazing to have all of my horizons expanded to a ridiculous degree.”

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

Professors "have stepped up and found a way to make this program something really special. It was amazing to have all of my horizons expanded to a ridiculous degree.”

Falmouth teachers Nichole Freeman, ’98, G’06, and Daria Kasparian abruptly pivoted when the COVID-19 pandemic forced school online. Fortunately, they knew how to continue serving their students thanks in large part to their virtual education classes at ���鵺��̳.

“Had I not had those experiences, I wouldn't have been as confident with what I was doing with my students,” said Freeman, a third-grade teacher at Teaticket Elementary School.

Kasparian, who teaches high school English, added: “Those lessons became more relevant and even more significant.”

Freeman and Kasparian are part of a group of Falmouth educators pursuing the Teaching in a Virtual/Online Setting graduate certificate. Launched in 2018, the four-course program covers topics such as using digital tools, designing coursework, and fostering consultation and collaboration.

���鵺��̳ also offers an undergraduate certificate through the College of Continuing Studies where students gain valuable online teaching skills before they enter the workforce.

“It’s so timely,” said Program Coordinator Tracy Charbonnier, ’03, G’17. “It’s really providing new teachers walking out the door from Bridgewater with confidence they can do it.”

Veteran educators such as Freeman and Kasparian praise the classes for introducing academic research and assisting them with challenges they faced during the pandemic.

“It helped me to not be afraid to seek and try out new things,” Freeman said. She also had praise for Dr. Eliason, an associate professor in the Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education. “Having taken a course with Sue, I had a variety of plan Bs.”

Meanwhile, the College of Graduate Studies recently launched a four-class certificate in online course design. Geared to higher education faculty and even corporate HR specialists and trainers, it covers ways to develop rigorous, accessible, inclusive virtual learning experiences. Full- and part-time ���鵺��̳ faculty can complete it for free.

“Our institution is really supporting it,” Eliason said. “Bridgewater State is very committed to effective online teaching.”

The course-design program grew out of ���鵺��̳’s Teaching and Technology Center’s Online Teaching Institute. More than 200 ���鵺��̳ faculty are participating in this summer’s institute in preparation for fall classes that will be mostly online.

In Falmouth, Freeman and Kasparian feel ready for whatever comes when school resumes, including remote learning.

“It doesn't replace the in-classroom experience, but it does certainly enhance it,” Kasparian said of online education. “It’s something I will use going forward whether we’re in class or remote.”

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

“Had I not had those experiences (at ���鵺��̳), I wouldn't have been as confident with what I was doing with my students."

Wild swings in the stock market sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic left many people reeling. But on the upside, ���鵺��̳ students participating in the student-managed investment fund saw an opportunity to sharpen their financial literacy skills and prepare for their careers.

“It helps me get my foot in the door and gives me something to build on versus coming in a complete novice,” said Petroy Thompson, ’20, who aims to work at an investment firm after finishing his business degree this summer. “Having some sense of what’s going on is priceless.”

The program began several years ago with $200,000 raised by a group of benefactors led by Louis M. Ricciardi, ’81, and President Emeritus Dana Mohler-Faria. The money was divided equally between a traditional Standard & Poor’s 500 fund and one focused on socially responsible investing.

Students researched companies, identified sound investments and presented to the fund’s governing committee of financial experts. This marked the first time the program was also tied to a course.

“For most students, this course was their first real exposure to stock market analysis,” said Dr. Jeanean Davis-Street, who serves as dean of the Ricciardi College of Business and taught the class. “They were able to participate in an investment simulation, learn ratio analysis, assess their own risk tolerance, and learn the nomenclature of investing.”

They accessed real-time data using on-campus Bloomberg terminals and resourcefully found other sources of information when the pandemic forced classes to move online.

“In a time of so much uncertainty, it gave us a great opportunity to buy when the market is low,” said Ben O’Brien, ’23, an aviation science major from Belchertown, who recommended buying Molson Coors Brewing Company stock. “You really don’t see that many opportunities, thankfully.”

Working with actual money instead of a hypothetical situation added an essential dimension to the course.

“It’s one thing to teach that and another to actually experience that,” said Petroy, who is from Hyde Park and recommended buying Royal Dutch Shell stock.

Petroy and Ben are putting their knowledge from the course to use with personal investments.

“I learned a lot about financial investments and picking the right stocks,” Ben said. “It’s so well run and the content you get out of it is absolutely worthwhile.” 

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

“It helps me get my foot in the door and gives me something to build on versus coming in a complete novice. Having some sense of what’s going on is priceless.”