Alumnus and scholarship recipient promote Giving Day ‘24

For nearly three decades, ���鵺��̳ alumnus Michael Rothberg, ’90, has donated to his alma mater to help ease the financial burden for students.

Rothberg recalled his first donation, early in his career working as a financial advisor.

“I gave $25…and it started me on a path to giving back to the college that gave me so much,” he said.

Like he has every year since, Rothberg will be donating Wednesday during ������’s annual Giving Day, run by the Alumni and Development office. This year’s theme is “For Every Student, Without Exception.”

He’s helped multiple students through the Michael S. Rothberg Scholarship offered as part of the sponsor-a-student program. This year’s recipient is aviation major Joseph Davis, ’25.

In addition to regular tuition, aviation majors are financially responsible for flight training.

The support has not only alleviated the financial burden for Joseph but has also boosted his confidence.

“Receiving this scholarship has allowed me to continue to focus on aviation and helped me believe in myself, to believe in the direction I’m heading,” he said.

For Rothberg, being able to help students like Joseph is why he gives.

“I started giving because I really knew the day-to-day challenges that someone like myself faced, and assumed others had too,” Rothberg said. 

Raised by a single mother in Plymouth, Rothberg said money was often tight and being the oldest of three boys meant a lot of responsibility was placed on him.

He knew college was going to be expensive so narrowed down his search to schools within financial reach. Bridgewater State was one of those schools.

He applied and was accepted. To make it financially viable, Rothberg commuted to and from his Plymouth home for the first two years.

He was able to secure housing his third year and worked two jobs to make ends meet. Needless to say, he was busy.

Aside from the academics and working, he also got involved on campus, and in his last year at Bridgewater served as Student Government Association president.

He worked with then-President Adrian Tinsley to help resolve issues and to strengthen connections between students and the administration.

“The experience gave me the opportunity to become empathetic, educated and informed about not just my situation, but everyone’s situation,” Rothberg said.

After graduating, he embarked on a career as a financial advisor, and as he started to establish himself, that’s when he began his decades-long tradition of giving back to Bridgewater State.

“I recognize how important it is to give back to the place that helped me change and that molded me at a very young age,” he said.

With so many generous donors and scholarship opportunities, Davis said all students should consider applying.

“The effort it takes is minimal, and the reward is great,” he said.

To those like Rothberg who make these scholarships possible for students, Davis can’t emphasis his gratitude enough and knows one day, when he’s able, will do the same.

“Truly, thank you,” he said. “Thank you for (donating) and helping start a fire that I will maintain and grow. I look forward to being able to donate back to students after I graduate.”

������’s Giving Day 2024 starts at 2p.m. on Wednesday, April 10, and ends at 8:40 p.m. on Thursday, April 11.

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

Receiving this scholarship has allowed me to continue to focus on aviation and helped me believe in myself, to believe in the direction I’m heading.

As a child growing up in Japan, Joanne Tanaka, ’24, knew one day she wanted to go to college in the United States.  

 With her high school graduation on the horizon, Joanne began her search for the right school.   

 “As I started to think more seriously about what I wanted to do, I thought about teaching,” she said.   

 That’s when she discovered ���鵺��̳.  

 “I chose to move from Japan and attend ���鵺��̳ for its teaching program, class sizes and location. I knew I could get a higher quality of learning and, as an out-of-country student, ���鵺��̳ was also the most affordable,” Joanne said.   

 Like many college students, being able to finance her education was a concern.   

 “My parents are older. My mom is retired and on a fixed income and my father is nearing retirement age, which means they have less discretionary money to support me,” Joanne said.  

 Fortunately, she was able to secure a grant and received a scholarship through the university to offset some of the expenses.  

 “Receiving any amount of aid is appreciated. It all makes a difference. It’s money I won’t have to pay back to anyone,” Joanne said. “Because of this I am able to continue at ���鵺��̳ with less financial worry. I can focus on my academics to become the best teacher I can be.”  

 While pursuing two degrees in history and secondary education, Joanne is also a justice fellow within the Martin Richard Institute for Social Justice and as a Fellow collaborates with the nonprofit organization, Raising Multicultural Kids, whose mission is to increase racial and cultural competency in predominately white schools.   

 Joanne herself comes from a multicultural background. She was adopted from China by an American mother and Japanese father.   

 “I was raised by both American and Japanese communities and ���鵺��̳ has provided me with a second home filled with incredibly supportive people who care and hold the same values as I do,” she said.   

 That support was never more evident than when Joanne first enrolled at Bridgewater, which was in the fall of 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic.   

 “I moved on campus from Japan into Scott Hall,” she said. “At times it was isolating, but as I didn’t have any standards, I didn’t know what ‘normal’ looked like.” 

 She adds that the transition was eased by her professors and, eventually, her classmates. 

 With only a year to go before she earns her degrees, Joanne looks forward to beginning her teaching career and is grateful to have found a home at ���鵺��̳.   

 “I didn’t have a ‘dream school’ when I was looking but now that I’ve been here for three years, knowing what’s available to me, the community, resources, scholarships, interactions...you could say it’s become my dream school,” she said.   

This Giving Day, April 12-13, those looking to help students like Joanne reach their goals can make a gift to the Bridgewater Fund to support ���鵺��̳ students’ most urgent needs.   

The Bridgewater Fund provides critical support for ���鵺��̳ students through scholarship, paid internships, and other life-changing experiences and opportunities.   

“Thank you for supporting students and future teachers. Thank you for seeing me,” Joanne said to those who donate. “Your support is incredibly important, and I do not take it for granted. I will continue to work hard and make our world a better place and one day, I will pay it forward.”  

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

Your support is incredibly important, and I do not take it for granted. I will continue to work hard and make our world a better place and one day, I will pay it forward.

Annual fundraiser provides students with many opportunities 

Today she is president and CEO of medical software giant Meditech, but Michelle O’Connor, ’88, remembers a time when she was struggling to manage both work and school as a first-generation student at Bridgewater State.

“My dad was an immigrant from Nova Scotia and a Boston police officer. My mom was a stay-at-home mom, and both came from a time when parents didn’t save for college, so to make it affordable I worked my way through college and had to find a balance,” she said.

Which is why, both personally and through her company, O’Connor donates to her alma mater to ease the financial burdens that some ���鵺��̳ students face.

“Most Bridgewater students work; they can’t make ends meet without working,” she said.

Christian Pierce, ’22, is one such student. He transferred to ���鵺��̳ from a community college and is taking seven classes this semester while working 25 hours a week at an assisted living facility.

His paycheck covers food and gas, but otherwise Christian said, he finds it difficult to make ends meet.

“It has been very tough to pay rent because I am so focused on school right now,” he said.

Despite his hectic schedule, Christian has managed to maintain a 3.8 GPA, securing a spot on the dean’s list while working toward his degree in health studies with a minor in health resources management.

To stay focused on school he knew he needed help, particularly financial help, so he applied through ���鵺��̳ for and received a Meditech scholarship.

“The scholarship has helped me tremendously. It has supported my education and my future. I am able to pay for books, food, rent, gas, bills, car insurance, care maintenance and school supplies,” he said.

Providing that support is exactly why she gives, O’Connor said.

“Bridgewater allowed me to grow, so why not give to the college so they can make it more affordable or give a scholarship to somebody to help them see what their opportunities are?” she said.

 The financial assistance has certainly impacted Christian in positive ways.

“���鵺��̳ was there when I needed it the most,” he said. “I thank (donors like O’Connor) for believing in me. Some of us don’t always end up having the same playing field or opportunities as others. The scholarship was the key to my success and making the dean’s list.”

On ������’s Giving Day this year, O’Connor encourages others to donate if they can. Starting at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, April 13, through 8:40 p.m. on Thursday, April 14, donations can be made here.

“Making sure kids like Christian can get through is so important,” O’Connor said. “We have to make sure students can achieve things and not let the dollar stand in the way.”

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

Bridgewater allowed me to grow, so why not give to the college so they can make it more affordable or give a scholarship to somebody to help them see what their opportunities are.