High school student takes classes at ���鵺��̳ while earning federal award

As a homeschooled high school student, Madison Cable craved the interaction that can only take place in a classroom.

By participating in a dual-enrollment program at Bridgewater State, Madison is seizing that opportunity while earning credits toward a high school diploma and bachelor’s degree.

“I wanted to broaden my academic and social horizons,” said Madison, who especially enjoyed classes in college algebra and precalculus with trigonometry. “Being able to advance my math skills with other students and being taught by professors is something I’ve always wanted. It’s amazing and I love it.”

Madison, a Taunton resident who began taking Bridgewater classes in spring 2023, also completed music, English and sociology courses on campus. Being in a college environment taught her perseverance and self-advocacy – skills that were essential in accomplishing another impressive feat.

Madison recently received the Congressional Award’s gold medal, the highest achievement in a federal government program that recognizes young people for volunteerism, character development and fitness. She documented 800 hours of activities and completed an expedition in just two years.

“It was a very rewarding experience and I’m very glad I was able to achieve that,” said Madison, who recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to receive the medal alongside approximately 700 of her peers.

Madison tracked her progress in a large binder overflowing with records of activities such as serving holiday meals to people in need and becoming a student leader in the Handel and Haydn Society, a musical nonprofit she has long performed with. She incorporated her love of dance into the fitness requirement. And Madison completed the expedition virtually (due to the pandemic) by studying what life was like in Colonial Williamsburg in comparison to England.

Now entering her senior year of high school, Madison plans to continue taking classes at ���鵺��̳ in the fall. She aspires to study a STEM field at a four-year college after graduation, something for which she is well prepared thanks to her time at Bridgewater.

While Madison took college-level classes virtually as early as middle school, she credited ���鵺��̳ with bringing a new dimension to her education. In addition to improving her study skills, she’s now comfortable reaching out to professors with questions and making full use of resources such as the library and Academic Achievement Center.

Madison encouraged other high school students to step out of their comfort zones and challenge themselves through dual-enrollment courses.

“I think the best way to prepare for college is just to take college classes and get in there and have that experience under your belt,” she said. “It’s so rewarding, and it gave me an experience that I never thought I would be able to have.”

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

I wanted to broaden my academic and social horizons. Being able to advance my math skills with other students and being taught by professors is something I’ve always wanted. It’s amazing and I love it.

Returning student logs in for classes from Los Angeles, where she is a city detective

Back in 1999 when Kristin Merrill was a senior, she made the decision to leave Bridgewater State to work full-time and save money before returning to finish her degree. However, she got sidetracked and moved to California to embark on what has become a 20-year career with the Los Angeles Police Department where she currently serves as a detective.

Despite her career success, she’s always had this nagging feeling about not completing her college degree.

 “It’s always bothered me that I didn’t finish,” she said. “I live a pretty regret-free life, but I just feel this is really important, to finish what you started.”

Now that she can take classes remotely, Merrill is back at ���鵺��̳, motivated to earn her degree in communications and public relations.

The Middleboro native was a standout athlete for the Bears, playing softball, basketball and rugby. She admits her focus at the time was more about athletics than academics.

This time around, however, partially because of the work ethic she’s developed as a law enforcement officer, she’s much more serious about her studies.

“I always cared about school, but was distracted,” Merrill said. “But now, 20 years later, having the skills I’ve learned I have a different perspective.”

When Merrill left Bridgewater State 20 years ago, she initially took a job working at State Street Bank in Quincy. While working there, she learned from a friend that the LAPD was in Boston looking for recruits as part of a nationwide search.

Encouraged by her family and friends, Merrill made the life-changing decision to take the law enforcement entrance exam.

“The morning of the test I woke up and thought, am I really going to do this?” she said.

A friend convinced her to go, rationalizing they could catch a hockey game afterward, as the exam location was near the Boston Garden where the Bruins play.

A lifelong Boston sports fan, Merrill was not one to turn down the chance to see one of her favorite teams compete, and made it to the test.

Soon after, she received word that she had passed and was invited for an interview on the West Coast. After nailing the interview Merrill was offered a position with the LAPD.

“It all happened so fast,” she said.

In her 20 years on the job, Merrill has worked a variety of departments, including major assault crimes, missing persons and internal affairs. 

And while she has carved out a successful career and doesn’t necessarily need a degree for advancement, she’s determined to do what it takes to earn her ���鵺��̳ degree.

And while some of her colleagues have encouraged her to complete her degree at a local school like the University of Southern California or Long Beach State, Merrill believes that once a Bear always a Bear.

“I have a pride about my school, I don’t want to graduate from anywhere else, I want to graduate from my college,” she said.

Merrill has been happy with the support she’s received from her Bridgewater professors and is grateful for this opportunity.

And even though she isn’t technically on campus, every time Merrill logs into class, from some 3,000 miles away, a sense of nostalgia takes over.

“It feels like I’m going home. I feel like I’m home, with my family again,” she said.

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

I have a pride about my school, I don’t want to graduate from anywhere else, I want to graduate from my college.

Pressing a mouse button rarely means as much as it did for Pat Glennon. With a recent momentous click, Glennon submitted the final assignment of his ���鵺��̳ bachelor’s degree – 30 years after he first took a college class.

“It was so exciting,” he said of the culmination of so much hard work. “Bridgewater gave me the ability to right what I felt was always a wrong.”

Glennon attended Saint Anselm College after high school, but says he wasn’t ready for the work and responsibility. So, he left and took courses at various institutions over the ensuing years. Education took a back seat after getting married, having four children, and starting a career working for financial companies.

Then, eight years ago, with his kids older and needing less supervision, his wife encouraged him to return to the classroom.

“It was something I wanted to make sure I did for myself,” he said. 

Glennon, who lives in Rockland, explored ���鵺��̳’s College of Continuing Studies and found a fit in the communication studies program, where he concentrated in strategic communication. As a business solutions analyst for SS&C Technologies, he dabbles in maintaining the company’s intranet. He also assists with communications for youth sports and religious organizations.

In class, he appreciated real-world, hands-on activities, including in Sherri Miles’ nonprofit communications course working with Special Olympics Massachusetts. Professors Jason Edwards and Bjorn Ingvoldstad helped Glennon stay on track, even when he faced obstacles such as the death of his parents. 

Glennon stands out for his commitment to education, Dr. Edwards said.

“It’s that idea of perseverance because he was going part-time and had a work schedule and kids,” he said. “This was really a personal goal.”

Nontraditional students, Edwards said, demonstrate that “learning never stops.”

Glennon encourages older prospective students to pursue a degree at Bridgewater: Courses are interesting, interactions with younger classmates provide new perspectives, and faculty help students succeed, he said.

“I could not recommend going back and getting your degree more,” he said. “The classes are so much fun. Outside of starting a family, probably my best decision was to go back and get it done.”

It’s also one that no doubt would have made his parents, who were both teachers, proud.

“I am very happy I was able to get back and start making legitimate serious progress while they were still around,” he said. “When I submitted my final paper, I looked up to the sky knowing I had gotten done what they wanted me to do.”

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

I could not recommend going back and getting your degree more. The classes are so much fun. Outside of starting a family, probably my best decision was to go back and get it done.

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."

Cyndi Cram, ’19, has been gaining the credentials and experience necessary for her dream career of becoming a certified speech-language pathologist working with students from linguistically and culturally diverse backgrounds.

She happened to be at ���鵺��̳ at the right time. Last fall saw the roll out of a TESOL certificate program, and Cyndi was a member of one of the first cohorts. “I knew I wanted to continue learning in this field,” the Mansfield resident said.

In May, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communications sciences and disorders, and also completed the TESOL certificate program. “I love working with English-language learners and hope this experience will teach me more about the field,” she said.

Cyndi is enrolled in ���鵺��̳’s master’s degree program in speech-language pathology and is a graduate assistant for second language services.

TESOL stands for “Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.” The university saw a growing need for a certificate program that provides students with the education and credentials necessary to teach English-language learners in the United States and abroad.

Designed for undergraduate students from any discipline, cultural and/or linguistic background, the four-course certificate program delivers a mix of theory, methodology and classroom strategies. Linguistics and cultural issues are also covered in the program.

The certificate is offered through a partnership between ���鵺��̳’s College of Continuing Studies and newly created TESOL Department.

“There is so much to the teaching of English; it’s not just teaching vocabulary. And that’s what we try to introduce to our students,” said Dr. Alexandra Balconi (Dema) (facing page, center), assistant professor in the Department of Special Education and the TESOL certificate coordinator, who developed the certificate program. “Cultural competence is important, as well. These students need to understand intercultural issues and how to address and explore them.”

The program is open to anyone with a high school diploma interested in obtaining TESOL certification to teach English in the United States and/or abroad. It is also available online to international students in their own countries, as well as to other individuals living outside the United States. International exchange students at ���鵺��̳ from partner universities may also enroll.

It’s a flexible program, with online courses, summer intensive sessions and more. There is a lot of interaction, whether the program is taken online or in person.

Students benefit from online sessions, group meetings and by delivering required presentations, all via video chat software such as Skype. Fieldwork is also required,  including teaching a mini lesson before a class at a local school.

Molly McNamara, ’20, from Hull, earned her TESOL certificate in the spring. She believes the skills and strategies she learned will come in handy next semester when she’s a student teacher. “These courses allowed me to see another side of the linguistic world,” said the early childhood education and Spanish major, who is minoring in special education. “They exposed me to seeing both the similarities and differences between
the languages.”

Molly’s TESOL certificate program experience will likewise stay with her throughout her career. “I hope to become a teacher who is able to provide proper support for English-language learners,” she said.

About the TESOL Certificate Program

The program consists of four undergraduate courses offered online, on campus and through an accelerated 10-week summer program.

Who is eligible? 

• ���鵺��̳ undergraduates from any academic discipline at any stage in their degree program
• Individuals with a high school diploma or any college credits
• International students earning a degree at a university in their country or anyone who lives outside the United States and wants to earn the certificate online
• International students from partner universities who come to ���鵺��̳ for one or two semesters as exchange students

Learn more at www.bridgew.edu/ccs/TESOL

I love working with English-language learners and hope this experience will teach me more about the field.

Savannah Melo once wondered if college was right for her. A new partnership between ���鵺��̳ and her high school, B.M.C. Durfee, has given her the confidence to answer yes to that question.

“I was really nervous if I could do it, if I’m smart enough,” said Savannah, a junior who wants to be a pharmacist and is taking college English and public speaking classes at Durfee through the partnership. “I’m getting a taste of what college is like. That motivated me. If I just put my mind to it, I can do it.”

Savannah is among roughly 43 juniors and seniors participating in the program, which launched as a pilot this spring and serves those who show great promise but need some support. Students, some of whom would be the first in their family to graduate college, understand what professors expect and earn credits that will save them money when they get to college. Some want to attend Bridgewater.

“I think this is a trailblazing effort,” said Durfee Principal Matthew Desmarais. “It’s only going to serve to benefit our students in a great way… They’ll leave here with the skills they need to succeed in college. It’s not going to be a mystery.”

The initiative came about from a conversation last year between ���鵺��̳ President Frederick W. Clark Jr. and Fall River Superintendent Matthew Malone.

The dual enrollment program is different than traditional ones because the English, public speaking and statistics classes are taught at Durfee by college and high school instructors. That eases the transition for students because they have a familiar face in the classroom.

“They get exposed to what it’s like in college classes, but they have supports available while they are still high school students,” said Durfee English teacher John Saurette.

Saurette teams up with James Norman, ’07, of ���鵺��̳’s Department of English, to teach Writing Rhetorically. The curriculum mirrors what students learn at ���鵺��̳.

Norman, who came to a recent class sporting a bandana headband and clearly visible arm tattoos, dispels the myth that all college professors wear formal suits. He mixes humor with writing lessons and advice on succeeding in college.

"I’m not sure they all felt this is for them at the beginning,” Norman said. “Now, we’re at the point everyone loves coming to this class. More of them are like, ‘College is for me,’”

Lucas Roque, a senior taking ���鵺��̳ public speaking and English classes at Durfee, is more confident about his speaking abilities and attending college thanks to the program.

“It teaches us college is tough, but it’s not hard enough you can’t get it done,” Lucas said. “You just have to put your mind to it.” 

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

It teaches us college is tough, but it’s not hard enough you can’t get it done. You just have to put your mind to it.

When seniors Alana Nicoletti (pictured below at left) and Coleby Paling (center) walk into their ���鵺��̳ classes, they feel like college students and are treated like them, too. 

That shouldn’t surprise you – until you realize they have yet to graduate high school.

“I’ve had many moments where people were like ‘Wait, what, you’re in high school?’” Coleby said.  

Alana, Coleby, and 13 of their Wareham High School classmates, spend part of each school day attending ���鵺��̳. They are among about 50 juniors and seniors from around the region who take classes at the university through a dual-enrollment program. Students generally earn high school and college credit, but the benefits extend far beyond an impressive transcript.

“They really are getting that experience of being in a college class,” said Ashley O’Donnell, G’14, a ���鵺��̳ admissions counselor who coordinates the program. “It gives them that opportunity to explore what they might want to study.”

Dual-enrollment students learn to navigate campus and become familiar with ���鵺��̳ social and academic life. The university hopes they want to become fulltime Bears, something Alana and Coleby are considering.

“It’s definitely prepared me more with the workload and homework and just learning time management,” Alana said. 

Wareham administrators Scott Palladino and Deb Freitas praised former ���鵺��̳ President Dana Mohler-Faria, a Wareham High alumnus, current President Frederick W. Clark Jr., and many other ���鵺��̳ employees for their support.

The Wareham-���鵺��̳ partnership, launched about five years ago, allows students to graduate high school with up to eight college courses under their belt along with a true taste of higher education.

“They know what college is going to be like,” said Palladino, the WHS principal. “They are not fearful. They know they will be successful in college because of this experience.”

Wareham students make connections at Bridgewater while retaining strong ties to their high school. Coleby recently attended a ���鵺��̳ theater production while Alana interacted with her college classmates concerning English projects. Junior Niccolo Lembo-Volpe traveled to the statehouse with his writing class to deliver letters they wrote to lawmakers (pictured above at right).

Wareham students find they have more responsibility for their assignments in college courses and must think critically about themselves and their work. 

“I feel like being given the opportunity to just make a few more decisions for yourself really prepares you for when you’re going to be on your own,” Niccolo said. 

Dual-enrollment information is available at area high schools. ���鵺��̳ staff can send info to home-schooled students. The deadline to apply for the spring 2019 semester is Nov. 27 by 5 p.m. (Photo also by Brian Benson)