Recent graduate says getting involved on campus led to success

In the Spring of 2019, Michael Abreu walked into ���鵺��̳’s Academic Achievement Center because he wanted to withdraw from the school. 

“I talked with an advisor to find out how dropping out works,” Abreu said. “I had already withdrawn from a couple of classes and felt lost and alone.”

After the conversation, he started walking toward the parking garage. Once inside his vehicle, he paused and didn’t turn on the car. 

“I told myself, if I don’t go to class today, then I’ll drop out. But for some reason I went to class and stuck with it,” he said. 

Five years later Michael walked the ���鵺��̳ commencement stage during ceremonies held at Gillette Stadium on May 11, where he earned a degree in English. 

What prevented him from dropping out? 

Involvement. 

“Aside from academics, the most important thing you can do is be involved,” Abreu said. “It’s not just about going to class, it’s being in tune with what’s going on on campus. Being involved, it really changes the experience.”

Abreu got involved by becoming a resident assistant, a position he held for three years; studied abroad in Greece; worked as a peer advisor in the AAC; DJed his own sports talk radio show on ���鵺��̳’s WBIM 91.5; and briefly served as president of the Gen 1 club, which serves the school’s first-generation students. 

“Being involved helped me meet some amazing people,” he said. “Tapping into what resources the school offered was huge for me.”

There were many who helped Abreu, including Professor Dr. Joyce Rain Anderson for her guidance as an advisor, Area Coordinator Rahbi Iddrisu for her support, Professor Dr. Andrew Holman for his mentorship, study abroad Staff Assistant Emma Lynch for her guidance in that program, and, as he initially transferred to ���鵺��̳ from a community college, Director of Transfer Services Jeffery Sarahs, for making the transition seamless. 

“For me, it’s important that you connect with people. The more you connect, the better you are able to help each other, to understand what they are going through,” he said. 

It isn’t lost on him that he almost didn’t make it to the commencement stage. However, he remains grateful he did and looks forward to what’s next as he embarks on a career in sports media and marketing. 

During commencement ceremonies his mortarboard had three words written on it to remind him to keep going.

‘Finish the Story’

“Everyone who graduated from Bridgewater, it was just the beginning,” Abreu said. “We did all of these great things while at ���鵺��̳, but our story really starts after commencement. What we do next is really the start of our story.”

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

Everyone who graduated from Bridgewater, it was just the beginning. We did all of these great things while at ���鵺��̳, but our story really starts after commencement. What we do next is really the start of our story. 

 

 

Triplets graduate with the Class of 2024

For many, the idea of triplets graduating at the same time from the same college is head-turning news. However, for Chloe, Joshua, and Benjamin Turner, it’s just part of the norm.  

“Even as kids, people reacted and thought we were unique,” Benjamin said. “Starting at ���鵺��̳ at the same time and leaving at the same time...I suppose it is unique, but I think we find that reaction so interesting.”

Forget being triplets, the greater accomplishment, according to Chloe, is that she and her brothers are first-generation students. 

“I’m really proud that we are first-gen,” she said. “No one in my family knew how to navigate college, but we always were connected to a strong support system of family and friends.”

Like any siblings, the Turner triplets, born Aug. 7, 2002, each have his or her own personality. Joshua and Benjamin are identical twins. 

“We have a lot of similarities as well as differences,” Benjamin said. “I get more nervous than Josh, he seems rather cool and confident.”

Joshua agreed with his brother. 

“I would say that I am probably the most confident of the three of us and the most likely to make quick decisions, which can be both good and bad,” he said. 

 As for Chloe, Benjamin said his sister is the most accomplished of the three. 

“She’s the mature one,” he said. 

“I think I’m more independent because I’m the only girl, they are identical twins, so I’ve always been set apart from them,” Chloe said. “I think I’m more of a guide for the three of us...but we all keep each other humble.”

Together the three siblings walked the stage during ���鵺��̳’s commencement ceremonies held at Gillette Stadium on Saturday, May 11. 

Chloe earned majors in both English and secondary education, Joshua earned his degree in English, and Benjamin took home a communication studies diploma. 

In their four years at Bridgewater, there was only one time when the Turners shared a class together. Despite this, just having her brothers on campus was a source of comfort for Chloe. 

“Knowing they were on the other side of campus if I needed them helped. At the very least I had someone I could turn to,” she said. “They both give very different advice, so I can turn to them for their wisdom regarding different things.”

Now that they have graduated, Chloe plans to pursue a career in teaching. Benjamin, who DJed for ���鵺��̳’s WBIM 91.5 FM radio station, looks to carve out a career in radio or television, and Joshua hopes to do something that involves writing or books. 

As they prepare to go their separate ways, Chloe said she feels ready for what’s next, in part because of her ���鵺��̳ experience. 

“I really loved Bridgewater. I met a lot of amazing people on campus and professors who encouraged me. I really enjoyed the community feel and made friends I will stay in touch with for the rest of my life,” she said. 

No matter where they land, Benjamin said they can always lean on each other. 

“When it comes to my siblings, anytime they need help, they can always come to me,” he said. “I think it’s important no matter where you end up in the world, you love people first and keep that connection with them in terms of supporting them.”

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

I really loved Bridgewater. I met a lot of amazing people on campus and professors who encouraged me. I really enjoyed the community feel and made friends I will stay in touch with for the rest of my life.

Across two ceremonies, graduates celebrate their perseverance

When Joshua Patriquin graduated from Weymouth High School four years ago, he and his family were at home, sitting in the living room staring at the television.

Together they watched and waited for his name to scroll across the screen, announcing his accomplishment and that was the extent of his ceremony.

Things looked a lot different for the ���鵺��̳ graduate this year as he crossed the commencement stage at Gillette Stadium to collect his degree in health sciences. Instead of sitting on a couch at home, he found himself standing in front of hundreds of family members and friends who cheered and celebrated the class of 2024.

“I’m definitely excited to be able to walk an actual stage to get my degree,” he said. “I know my mom is elated, she’s through the roof. I wouldn’t be surprised if she sets off fireworks.”

Because of the global COVID pandemic, many of the approximately 1,650 students earning bachelor’s degrees from ���鵺��̳ this year shared similar high school commencement experiences, and they agree being at Gillette to celebrate the moment was much more meaningful. With one exception.

“Well, I’m actually a Bills fan,” joked Brennan Gravanda, a computer science major from Wilbraham. “So, I’m conflicted, but it is nice to have it in the stadium. My mom is thrilled. A lot about today isn’t just for us, but our families. They didn’t get a (high school) graduation either, so this is a big moment for them, too.”

President Frederick W. Clark Jr., '83, acknowledged the “once-in-a-lifetime trials” the class of 2024 faced during the pandemic. He is confident that, because of this, they are ready to face whatever challenges are placed in front of them.

Tori Kalisz, a health science major who spoke to morning graduates, also emphasized the unique obstacles the class faced.

“Despite our challenges, we all stand here today, resilient and ready to embrace the next chapter in our lives,” she said. “I urge you to cultivate your resilience. Let it be your guiding light in times of darkness, your strength in times of weakness, your ally in times of struggle, and the beacon of hope that reminds you of your limitless potential.”

Afternoon student speaker Ilina Monteiro knows a lot about resilience. Ilina once questioned if she would ever attain a college diploma as she attempted suicide multiple times in high school. Now Ilina isn’t stopping with a bachelor’s degree. She’s entering the Master of Social Work program at ���鵺��̳.

“This is a testament that anyone who struggles with any kind of mental health challenge, is not defined by it,” she told her peers. “We are capable of achieving anything we put our minds to, and I vow to persist, even in the face of doubts and adversity.”

During the morning ceremony, Jay Ash, president and CEO of the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership, identified one word that matters when it comes to building a career and having a great life.

“That word is relationships,” he said. “The relationships you cultivate can open doors for unforeseen possibilities. It has always been relationships that opened doors for me.”

Travis Adkins, president and CEO of the U.S. African Development Foundation, compared students’ educational path to scaling a mountain, a climb where the ���鵺��̳ community fought for racial justice and supported people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, veterans, first-generation students and every graduate crossing the stage.

“The top of one mountain is the bottom of the next,” Adkins told afternoon graduates. “May we all go forward together to believe in and strive for a world more inclusive, more equitable and more prosperous for all people.”

Ash and Adkins received honorary degrees while ���鵺��̳ recognized three alumni with distinguished service awards: Gloria Stanton, ’74, G’00, former principal of the Burnell Campus School and a founding member of the ���鵺��̳ Afro-American Alumni Association; and Gloria Moran, G’69, and Evelyn DeLutis, ’63, whose extensive volunteer service includes sewing dresses for young girls in Africa.

As she prepared to process onto the Gillette Stadium field, psychology major Naima Jackson reflected on her family’s immigration to the U.S. from Haiti. While her parents never had the opportunity to earn a college degree, Naima now has law school in her sights.

“It feels really great,” Naima said of reaching this milestone as a first-generation student. “Graduation is a way for (my parents) to graduate, too.”

Music major Taylor Deas of Brockton hopes to go to graduate school for classical guitar, an instrument he began playing at ���鵺��̳.

“Music is something that reaches a lot deeper,” Taylor said. “It’s something anyone can enjoy but, for me, I really feel it can change the way I think. … It’s a really powerful tool, and I definitely learned that being at ���鵺��̳.”

President Clark said he has faith in each and every graduate as they prepare for the next steps in their journey.

“You are battle tested,” he said. “We believe in you, long live the class of 2024.”

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

I urge you to cultivate your resilience. Let it be your guiding light in times of darkness, your strength in times of weakness, your ally in times of struggle, and the beacon of hope that reminds you of your limitless potential.

Graduates reflect on journeys to advanced degrees

As a high school chemistry teacher, Michael Pollino, ’13, G’24, appreciates the “aha” moments when his students master a difficult concept.

And, with a ���鵺��̳ graduate degree in physical sciences now in hand, Pollino is ready to help countless more students reach new academic heights.

“I’ve already implemented many things I learned at ���鵺��̳,” said Michael, who appreciated how Bridgewater offered classes geared specifically to teachers. “I love the job and I love working with students.”

Michael and more than 450 of his graduating peers experienced many of their own “aha” moments as they completed advanced degrees at ���鵺��̳. With the support of dedicated faculty and faithful peers, these Bears are ready to make their mark on their families, communities and the world.

“Here at Bridgewater, you have already left a legacy of optimism and determination that we admire and know will sustain you,” said Board of Trustees Chair Jean MacCormack.

In a world marred by war, climate change, economic instability and inequality, the College of Graduate Studies' class of 2024 has exhibited kindness, leadership and commitment, all traits that prepare them to tackle seemingly insurmountable challenges, said President Frederick W. Clark Jr., ’83

“You stand here today as a testament to your personal determination and desire to succeed,” Clark said.

Featured speaker and state Senate President Karen Spilka recalled a time when a mechanic tried to sell her repairs that her Volkswagen Beetle didn’t need. Rather than give in to a scammer, Spilka learned to repair her car herself.

Graduates have shown that same persistence, and are ready to apply it to their lives and careers, Spilka said.

“We need you in hospitals, in businesses, in nonprofits, in classrooms, in labs, in local government and in the Statehouse,” Spilka said. “Massachusetts needs you. We need your brilliance, we need your talents, we need your initiative.”

Spilka received an honorary degree while Mary Price, director of the Massachusetts Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment Initiative, received a distinguished service award. Ala’a Ahmad Ali Bani Melhem, G’24, was recognized with the distinguished graduate thesis award while Kayla Medeiros, ’15, G’23, earned the distinguished graduate research-project award.

Student speaker Jamie Jackson, G'24, who received a social work degree, encouraged her peers to be seen and heard. Always strive to be kinder and more capable and confident, she said.

“Challenge yourself to be your best, yes, but also dare to allow for softness and vulnerability as well,” she said. “The world needs more softness. Look for the places in this world that need light, and shine it brightly, because how we show up for one another matters.”

Social work graduates were joined on the field by their unofficial mascot, Gatsby, a service dog who assists Emma Marie Francis, G’24. Emma has a rare genetic disorder called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and Gatsby helps her in many ways including safely climbing over curbs and picking up objects.

Shaped by her personal challenges, Emma looks forward to helping others after graduation as a therapist.

“It’s really exciting, and I feel like a lot more opportunities have opened up for me,” she said.

International student Jonathan Opio, G’24, of Uganda, also sees his future coming into focus. He studied computer science with the goal of working in artificial intelligence. He’s already secured his first job in the rapidly developing field as a technical writer.

But first he took time to enjoy the commencement spotlight.

“I feel relieved all the hard work is done,” Jonathan said. “This is the celebration point.”

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

Challenge yourself to be your best, yes, but also dare to allow for softness and vulnerability as well. The world needs more softness. Look for the places in this world that need light, and shine it brightly, because how we show up for one another matters.

Commencement speaker bounces back, now helps others

As she struggled with her mental health, Ilina Monteiro, ’24, questioned whether she would ever attend college, never mind one day represent her class as the student commencement speaker.

In high school, Ilina attempted suicide and accumulated so many absences that she barely graduated. College seemed impossible – until Bridgewater State welcomed her.

“Getting into ���鵺��̳ not only signified a new journey for me, but it also signified the beginning of a life I’ve always envisioned,” Ilina said. “It signified becoming a new me and having something to look forward to.”

This weekend, Ilina will address her classmates from the commencement stage just before receiving a bachelor’s degree in social work. The student speaker for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences ceremony, Ilina will share her story as a hopeful message of perseverance.

“I didn’t think I could make it to college, and here I am graduating,” she said. “You can do it.”

A native of Cabo Verde currently living in Taunton, Ilina immigrated to the U.S. with her family when she was 8 years old. She didn’t know a single word of English – not even how to say, “Hi.”

Ilina now speaks English fluently thanks to school lessons and watching children’s television shows (her favorites included Curious George and Caillou). At ���鵺��̳, she minored in teaching English to speakers of other languages and taught youngsters English during a study tour to the Dominican Republic.

She also appreciates the compassionate support of social work professors such as Drs. Leslie Sattler and Jibril Solomon.

“They worked with me through my mental health journey,” Ilina said. “They were my rock. Every time I came into their classes, I felt supported.”

Solomon is impressed by her resilience. Even amid personal challenges, Ilina always had a plan to keep her academics on track, said Solomon, who taught her in several classes.

She brings a strong understanding of social and racial justice issues and a wealth of personal experience to her profession, he said.

“Being a social worker is not just a career for her,” Solomon said. “It’s her way of contributing to her community and being a difference maker.”

She’s already doing that through her job at the Old Colony YMCA’s Brockton branch. She supports and mentors children who are in the foster care system or facing their own mental health challenges.

Ilina will soon pursue a master’s degree in social work from Bridgewater. She hopes to one day bring mental health services to Cabo Verde, where she said people too often suffer in silence.

“���鵺��̳ gave me a calling to help people who have been through similar struggles as I have,” she said. “���鵺��̳ gave me a purpose.”

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

���鵺��̳ gave me a calling to help people who have been through similar struggles as I have. ���鵺��̳ gave me a purpose.

Morning commencement speaker to touch upon pandemic’s impact

Four years ago, members of the ���鵺��̳ class of 2024 started their college experience sitting in front of a screen. 

Due to COVID, all classes had moved online, and the campus felt empty, students isolated. 

During their time at ���鵺��̳ these students adapted to all the pandemic-related restrictions and changes, emerging triumphant and ready to walk the commencement stage.

“Looking back and reflecting on all we’ve had to overcome, the skills we developed to face whatever challenges we might have in the future…it’s all shaped us into who we are today,” said Tori Kalisz, ’24. “Those setbacks were just steppingstones to get us to where we need to go in life.” 

Tori is this year’s student speaker during the morning commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 11, held at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro. 

The Acushnet native knows a thing or two about overcoming obstacles. 

At age 13, she was diagnosed with a connective-tissue disorder that causes debilitating pain and fatigue, leaving her often physically and emotionally drained. 

“It impacts my life in more ways than I can describe,” Tori said. 

The disorder requires mandatory physical therapy, which has benefited her in multiple ways. 

Outside of the support of her parents, it is her physical therapist who helped her manage it all and discover her calling. 

“My physical therapist has helped me in my darkest moments and shaped me into the strong person I am today,” Tori said. “Thanks to my time with her, I grew to realize that what she does is what I want to do.”

Tori came to ���鵺��̳ to study health sciences and minor in psychology, with a goal to eventually work at Boston Children’s Hospital, where she can help children as a pediatric physical or occupational therapist. 

She’s already been helping school-aged children through a program she herself created called . (Instagram: )

Through the program she uses both online platforms and in-person visits to talk with students about the importance of resilience. She shares her own life experiences as inspiration. 

“I share my story because I want people to accomplish what they want, to become resilient and strong, to be more than they think they can be…sometimes we need that one person to give us that extra push,” Tori said. 

As she takes the stage at Gillette on commencement day to speak to her fellow graduates, Tori wants to remind them of where they’ve been, what they’ve overcome and hopes her story resonates. 

“We were all impacted by COVID,” she said. “It was our resilience that we need to remember and touch upon before we go our separate ways.”

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

Looking back and reflecting on all we've had to overcome, the skills we developed to face whatever challenges we might have in the future...it's all shaped us into who we are today. Those setbacks were just steppingstones to get us to where we need to go in life. 

 

 

Graduate student speaker toasts friends and peers who helped her through

Jamie Jackson, G’24, gained much more than an education from ���鵺��̳. She’s graduating alongside a group of 15 peers who she knows will be there for her in the years ahead.

Enrolled in the School of Social Work’s Saturday master’s program, Jamie had the unusual experience of sharing her classes with the same group of students. They began as strangers and are graduating as friends and colleagues.

“It really has fostered and cultivated a sense of support and learning and collaboration that I don’t think you’d find elsewhere,” she said. “The cohort model is unique, and I’m so grateful for it. ... These are people I will lean on throughout my social work career.”

Those classroom friends will undoubtedly be cheering wildly for Jamie as she addresses the College of Graduate Studies’ class of 2024 as the student commencement speaker. Jamie wasn’t going to apply for the role. But, as she reflected on her graduate school experience, she felt the need to share her perspective on Bridgewater’s biggest stage.

“What really stood out to me when I was writing (my speech) was how do we lean on one another and show up for one another,” she said. “There’s strength in coming together and collaborating and not going it alone.”

Just a few years ago, Jamie felt very alone. Living in Scotland during the early days of the pandemic, she faced strict lockdown rules. She could only leave her home once a day and couldn’t travel more than five miles.

As the world shut down, the Billerica native started thinking about her future and realized she wanted to return to Massachusetts to serve her home state. Social work was the ideal vocation to pursue that goal and Bridgewater’s Saturday courses allowed her to keep working full-time.

“I think Bridgewater has had an incredible impact on me,” she said. “It has taught me how to think critically, how to step forward when needed, and how to gracefully step back to allow others to step forward.”

Jamie stands out as a leader and advocate for her peers as well as a committed student who often asked insightful questions, said Dr. Leslie Sattler, an associate professor of social work.

“Jamie brings that real-world practice and experience to the classroom, and she also brings that curiosity,” Sattler said.

Jamie appreciates how connected Sattler’s lessons are to her job. She works for the health and human services organization Vinfen as program director of a group home for people with psychiatric conditions. As part of her Bridgewater education, she interned with a school adjustment counselor at Barnstable High School.

After graduation, Jamie looks forward to advancing in her career at Vinfen by becoming a clinician, where she will continue making a direct and tangible difference for people in Massachusetts.

“We can mistakenly look at graduation as an endpoint, but it’s really just the jumping off point,” she said.

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

We can mistakenly look at graduation as an endpoint, but it’s really just the jumping off point.

Senior expands his horizons through immersion in campus community 

When Zachary Allen, ’24, arrived at ���鵺��̳ from Scranton, Pennsylvania, he had never set foot on campus. All he knew about the school he was about to attend was based on an online search that highlighted the school’s aviation flight program, an area he was interested in. 

“I showed up here in August of 2020, took a COVID test in the parking lot, then moved into my dorm. My parents dropped me off and left,” he said. College, he figured back then, was meant to be an easy-going time in a young person’s life. 

A lot has changed in four years.   

Today, Zach represents his peers as student trustee on the ���鵺��̳ board of trustees, a role he takes seriously.   

“As student trustee I’ve learned that every single thing the university does is for the benefit of the students,” he said. “I listen to everyone’s experiences, struggles, and praises and take that information to provide the board with the students’ perspective. I get to be the students’ voice.”  

How did he go from knowing very little about ���鵺��̳ to being fully immersed in the Bridgewater community? The answer to that question is easy, he got involved.   

“Being involved is important to me because it gives me the ability to go above and beyond what’s expected of me and what the normal degree path would entail,” Zach said. “Being involved helps me understand where other people come from.” 

While at ���鵺��̳, the management major has been very involved in the university’s aviation program.   

A three-year member of the U.S. Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, Zach was selected as Cadet of the Month twice and Cadet of the Semester once. He is also an instrument-rated private pilot, having logged more than 200 hours.   

After graduating from ���鵺��̳ next month, Zach will bring his experience to the United States Air Force, where he was recently awarded an active-duty pilot slot. He was selected to represent his chosen military branch at the highly competitive fighter-based Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training and will be training at Sheppard AFB in Texas.  

“Since I could remember, I’ve wanted to fly,” he said, that it was his grandparents taking him to airshows growing up that planted the seed.   

���鵺��̳’s aviation program has helped him prepare for the next leg of his journey.   

“The experience I gained, in an environment where I was held to a certain standard…���鵺��̳ has really put me in a position that set me apart from my peers,” Zach said.   

When he wasn’t up in the sky, Zach was just as busy while on terra firma. 

During his undergraduate career, he also worked as a photographer for the ���鵺��̳ Marketing and Communications Division, was a member of the Student Government Association, and served as a student police cadet with the ���鵺��̳ Police Department.   

Each experience exposed him to different people, programs, and opportunities across campus.   

“There are a lot of really great opportunities at Bridgewater that not many people may know about,” he said. “The opportunities and experiences have all helped me develop as a whole.”  

His biggest takeaway, however, is the importance of listening.  

“Listening, and understanding other people’s point-of-view, that’s how we all grow. A lot of people don’t understand the importance of listening,” he said.   

As he gets ready to spread his wings, Zach is ready to leave Bridgewater feeling more prepared than he was the first time he set foot on campus.    

“My biggest lesson learned from Bridgewater is strengthening my communication skills. I’ve become better at understanding people, how they work. I’ve also been able to help others learn about the resources and tools that are available for students to do great things and reach their own goals.”  

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

There are a lot of really great opportunities at Bridgewater that not many people may know about. The opportunities and experiences have all helped me develop as a whole.