Senior finds calling in helping others, serving with Trustees

With a keen interest in the military, Emily Rose, ’25, was initially unsure if college was the right fit. But at Bridgewater State, Emily quickly found a calling: advocating for fellow students while preparing to enter the Army.

“I’ve developed my leadership skills in a way I never thought I’d be able to,” said Emily, a criminal justice major who is minoring in Portuguese. “I’ve really grown in my ability to care for people and learning what others go through so I can help. I think it has been so beneficial.”

Emily, who has served in the Student Government Association since their first year, and participates in ROTC, is the student representative on the Board of Trustees for this school year. They were elected by their peers to the post on ���鵺��̳’s top board.

As a trustee, Emily looks forward to analyzing data, expanding opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds, and fostering the welcoming campus they have enjoyed throughout their time as a Bear.

“I really think it’s the students, their hard work and determination,” Emily said. “Everyone goes above and beyond. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a time when someone didn’t open a door for me and let me pass through.”

The annual back-to-school barbecue for the campus symbolizes the camaraderie that exists, Emily said.

“���鵺��̳ is a place where everyone anywhere on campus would feel safe,” they said in highlighting widespread support for the LGBTQIA+ community. “I feel comfortable to be who I am.”

Emily’s leadership isn’t limited by campus boundaries. They are also the commander of an Army ROTC company that includes students from Bridgewater, Curry College and Stonehill College.

Emily aspires to follow their father into the military, where they will no doubt rely on the leadership skills earned at Bridgewater.

“I don’t think I would be the same person I am without student government and the support of everyone above me who mentored me,” said Emily, praising connections with peers, faculty and administrators. “It wouldn’t be the same if it wasn’t for everyone at ���鵺��̳.”

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

I don’t think I would be the same person I am without student government and the support of everyone above me who mentored me. It wouldn’t be the same if it wasn’t for everyone at ���鵺��̳.

Mike Vieira seeks to replicate his campus experience for today’s students

When it came time to pursue a college education, Dr. Mike Vieira, ’75, G’82, had a dream school in mind: Bridgewater State.

Vieira’s favorite schoolteachers had earned their degrees as Bears, so Bridgewater immediately stood out to the aspiring educator.

“Bridgewater was the place,” said Vieira, who studied English as an undergraduate and earned a master's degree in teaching English. “I often say it was life-changing, and it was in a bunch of ways.”

After several decades teaching middle school, high school and college students, Vieira is gaining a new perspective on his alma mater as a member of the Board of Trustees. Vieira has served on the Bridgewater Alumni Association Board since 2015, and his fellow board members elected him to become the university’s newest trustee.

“I’m honored to be in this position, and I look forward to representing the alumni to the best of my abilities for as long as I can,” he said.

As a Bridgewater student, Vieira joined the Campus Comment student newspaper at the urging of a professor. He quickly fell in love with journalism and publishing, from writing stories to laying out pages to thriving in the sometimes-chaotic newsroom. His first article was on the 1973 resignation of U.S. Vice President Spiro Agnew.

Vieira taught English and journalism for 20 years at Fall River’s Durfee High School, where he advised Durfee’s student publications.

“It all goes back to Bridgewater,” he said. “I created a newsroom atmosphere that really replicated the Comment.”

He went on to work as an assistant professor of computer information systems and an administrator at Bristol Community College. Vieira helped organize international trips that provided community college students with global perspectives similar to those he gained at Bridgewater on a trip to Portugal.

Today, Bridgewater students continue to benefit from the global education, hands-on lessons, and individual support which Vieira experienced as a Bear, and subsequently based his teaching career on.

“In a lot of ways, it’s paying it forward,” he said of being an educator. “I always try to keep an eye on those students who need that little extra push. ... You are responsible for helping develop future citizens and future leaders.”

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

Bridgewater was the place. I often say it was life-changing, and it was in a bunch of ways.

Tiffony Cesero has had success as a businesswoman, leader and active volunteer

As she falls asleep at night, Tiffony Cesero often reflects on how she helped someone that day. With extensive volunteer experience, Bridgewater State’s new trustee typically has much to ponder.

“That’s been in my bloodstream, just to help,” she said. “There’s no such thing as ‘I can’t.’ Anything is possible.”

A community leader and the president and CEO of the security company K-9 Mercantile Protection Inc., Cesero brings a passion for helping students that is rooted in her family experience. She raised three children of her own, another four through marriage, as well as a niece and a close family friend.

“I want to always make a difference and be impactful in the lives of our leaders of tomorrow,” she said.

To that end, Cesero serves on boards of the Old Colony YMCA, Sunrise Rotary Club and Salvation Army. She mentors high school students with disabilities who are transitioning into the workforce.

Cesero is a “dynamic individual,” with a passion for volunteering and significant experience fundraising and supporting education for marginalized and underserved individuals, ���鵺��̳ President Frederick W. Clark Jr., '83, said.

���鵺��̳’s new trustee also co-owns the construction supply company ST Materials and Equipment. Her many leadership positions include serving on the board of the Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce and, since 2019, the Business Advisory Board for ���鵺��̳’s Ricciardi College of Business.

She appreciates the hands-on learning and numerous opportunities available at Bridgewater State. Students have the chance to find their own way and identity, she said.

“It’s unbelievable to be afforded this opportunity,” Cesero said of being appointed to ���鵺��̳’s Board of Trustees by Gov. Maura Healey. “I’m very honored.”

Cesero attended commencement at Gillette Stadium, an event that she said showcased the sense of community at ���鵺��̳ and the dedication of faculty, librarians and staff to supporting students.

“You can feel the warmth, acceptance and love,” she said. “People care.”

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

That’s been in my bloodstream, just to help. There’s no such thing as ‘I can’t.’ Anything is possible.

The son of a blacksmith, Michael Taylor became the first person in his family to earn a college diploma. For this, he thanks the high-quality, affordable degrees available via the state’s public higher education system.  

It’s also one of the reasons he feels it’s been important for him to always give back. 

Taylor, the newest trustee at ���鵺��̳, credits his undergraduate years at the former Boston State College with preparing him for a career of community service.  

“Boston State College was my Bridgewater,” he said. “What Boston State represented to me was that beacon of opportunity. I think Bridgewater represents the same to many of the students who attend.”  

That’s one reason why Taylor is honored to have been appointed by former Gov. Charlie Baker to serve on ���鵺��̳’s Board of Trustees. A lifelong Boston resident, he was president of the Urban College of Boston for about a decade before retiring in 2022. The college is a non-traditional institution serving diverse and under-represented students. Taylor helped the college increase enrollment and improve its financial picture.  

He served at the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development during former Gov. Deval Patrick’s administration and began his career working in public housing.  

 “We are fortunate indeed to have Trustee Taylor at ���鵺��̳, as he brings decades of experience and exemplary service in higher education and government, with a focus on workforce development, social services and creating economic opportunity for all,” said ���鵺��̳ President Frederick W. Clark Jr., '83. 

Taylor attended his first trustees meeting in December. During a tour of the campus with Clark, he was amazed at how often students stopped to converse with the president. He also appreciated that staff sit at the same table as trustees during meetings. That seemingly simple gesture speaks volumes about the culture at Bridgewater, he said.   

"I was impressed with the degree of collegiality and respect that the community had for each other and for President Clark, and also the pride and joy that people had about being a member of the Bridgewater community,” he said. “It was so striking and clear.”  

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

I was impressed with the degree of collegiality and respect that the community had for each other and for President Clark, and also the pride and joy that people had about being a member of the Bridgewater community. It was so striking and clear.

Dr. Lisa Battaglino, ’79, experienced ���鵺��̳ as a student, professor and dean. Now, she is adding one more title to that list: trustee.

Battaglino, who was recently appointed by Gov. Charlie Baker to the university’s Board of Trustees, worked at ���鵺��̳ for about three decades, mostly as a special education professor and dean of the College of Education and Health Sciences.

“I wanted to continue being a part of the Bridgewater family,” said Battaglino, who retired in 2019. “This was a perfect way to contribute and bring my expertise to the table and still participate in the growth of the university.”

Battaglino dedicated her career to improving education locally and around the world. She forged a partnership with the Ministry of Education in Belize through which faculty, administrators and students volunteered in the country’s schools. Battaglino further collaborated with educators in Singapore, Cape Verde, Russia and China. 

She participated in a White House summit as a result of her efforts to improve technology training for future teachers. Battaglino also focused on partnering with urban schools and increasing the number of science, technology, engineering and math teachers.

She has remained busy in retirement, researching how to provide services for people with both Down syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease. People with Down syndrome now often live into their 60s, increasing the likelihood they will have both disorders simultaneously.

“It’s an important area that hasn’t been explored up until this point,” she said.

The research also has a personal connection: Battaglino’s brother, Joel, has Down syndrome.

For a decade, Battaglino advocated for a recently passed Massachusetts law that ensures students with intellectual disabilities can attend college. ���鵺��̳ already offers opportunities to participate in classes, clubs, and residential life through the EXCEL program.

“We have been a role model in providing people with disabilities access to higher education,” she said. “It has been an honor to be affiliated with Bridgewater because of that.”

Battaglino serves as a gubernatorial appointee to Massachusetts’ Special Commission on Rural School Districts. She is also a member of the ���鵺��̳ Foundation’s investment and student engagement committees.

She looks forward to bringing her perspective as a former professor and administrator to the Board of Trustees.

“Education is my field and I believe strongly we have one of the best teacher-preparation programs in the U.S.” she said. “Although all of our programs are fantastic, that one is particularly dear to my heart. I want to do everything in my power to make sure we remain a stellar and exemplary university.”

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

I want to do everything in my power to make sure we remain a stellar and exemplary university.

Having excelled in their respective professions, new members of ���鵺��̳’s Board of Trustees, lawyer Walter Prince and photojournalist Francis Giles, are eager to help students find their own success.

The two were recently sworn in after being appointed by Gov. Charlie Baker.

A Lesson in Determination

When he toured campus with President Frederick W. Clark Jr., Giles appreciated the tenacity he saw on display.

“I was so impressed with the students you have who work, have kids and are completing their education in an environment that is welcoming,” he said.

Giles’ story is similarly rooted in tenacity. The high school dropout never gave up on education, earning his undergraduate degree over many years and studying at the graduate level at MIT under renowned photographer Minor White.

He was an Army paratrooper in the Dominican Republic and Vietnam in the 1960s. A veteran photojournalist, he covered the 1973 Yom Kippur War in Israel, Syria, and Egypt; wrote for The Washington Post; and served as editorial director for radio station WEEI.

Giles, who was the first Black reporter at the suburban Chicago Evanston Review, praised students for being “fearless” in their pursuit of racial justice.

Giles is no stranger to working in higher education, having taught photography at several universities, and served as a trustee of Burlington College. He said his teaching philosophy is “to open doors and windows for students.”

An Eagle Scout and longtime Boy Scouts leader, Giles’ service to ���鵺��̳ is one more way he will assist young people.

“It’s been the opportunity of a lifetime to be a volunteer,” he said.

Creating Opportunity

Public higher education is “essential and important,” said Prince, a partner at the Boston legal firm Prince Lobel Tye.

“Not everyone has been able to go to a private college or university,” he said. “Everyone has potential and capability. That’s where public higher education can play a role in helping people grow and excel. I’m an example of that.”

Prince studied history and education at Boston State College, which later merged with the University of Massachusetts Boston. He met inspiring professors who encouraged him to reach for his dreams. As a junior, he decided to attend law school and ultimately earned his Juris Doctor from Boston College.

Prince has more than three decades of experience in transportation, commercial law, and civil and white-collar criminal litigation. He’s worked as a prosecutor and defense attorney, conducted internal investigations for Fortune 500 companies, served as the MBTA’s general counsel, and participated in committees that recommended and reviewed candidates for judgeships.

“I’ve always been involved in public service,” Prince said. “I’ve enjoyed it and I look forward to doing it again here at Bridgewater State.”

Now, Prince can help ���鵺��̳ support students and fight for racial justice.

“That’s something I’ve championed and something I will always support – giving opportunity to people, especially young people of color,” he said.

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

I was so impressed with the students you have who work, have kids and are completing their education in an environment that is welcoming.