Bridgewater State University
Bridgewater State University
Bridgewater State Approved to Offer
Coop Education Program
The Boston Globe, in its Monday, April 6, 2026, edition, announced that Bridgewater State University is one of three of the state's public universities that have been granted approval to begin offering co-op education programs.
"Co-op programs have helped some private universities like Northeastern University rocket ahead of the competition, offering students the chance to gain valuable work experience and networking opportunities before heading into an increasingly brutal labor market," wrote Globe reporter Hilary Burns.
"Now the state of Massachusetts is expanding its experimentation with co-op programs at public universities, hoping to give students that pre-professional boost — and fill more Massachusetts jobs with students from its ranks.
"The state Department of Higher Education announced Monday that its innovation hub is awarding $20,000 grants to three public colleges — Framingham State, Bridgewater State, and Massachusetts College of Art and Design — to develop
co-op programs with employers in the region.
"To help with startup costs associated with the programs, the schools also received an additional $20,000 from the University of Massachusetts Lowell and Axim Collaborative, a nonprofit with ties to Harvard and MIT that focuses on improving post-secondary education.
""The cost associated with start-up programs is modest, but the investment represents a shift in thinking among state higher education leaders about the importance of educating students in the workplace," she wrote.
"For college students and their families, there are few questions more pressing than what comes after graduation. Education researchers and higher education leaders continue to emphasize that work-based learning opportunities, such as internships and co-ops, are an effective way to prepare students with skills that employers need.
"Many students, however, struggle to find relevant internships in their fields of study, and few can afford to work without pay. Research from Strada, a nonprofit that helps students connect education with jobs, found students who complete paid internships or co-ops earn more after graduation than their peers who do not.
"Frederick W. Clark, president of Bridgewater State, said the main reason that students pursue higher education is to “really explore pathways to employment and then to secure them,” Ms. Burns wrote.
(Footnote: Northeastern University was founded by a Bridgewater State graduate . . .
see Memory Lane below).
Bridgewater State Hosts 3rd Annual Conference on Artificial Intelligence
Bridgewater State University's "AI in Action: Building a Human-Centered Future," third annual AI Summit was held on Wednesday, April 1, 2026 and President Fred Clark shared the following with the university community about the event:
“As artificial intelligence reshapes our working and learning environments, we must remember that human capability matters more than ever.
“That was a key message from two recent events at which I was honored to speak," the president said.
"As I explained at both BSU’s AI Summit and at a Massachusetts Business Roundtable event, using our critical thinking and ethical reasoning skills when prompting AI produces stronger results that we can apply more effectively to solving problems.
"AI thus, does not replace the need for human intelligence. It makes our capabilities even more consequential.
“The summit, organized by BSU’s Center for Artificial Intelligence, was titled ‘AI in Action: Building a Human-Centered Future.’
“Hundreds of participants attended engaging workshops and keynote presentations through which they learned tools, gained new perspectives and thought more deeply about the role of AI.
“Meanwhile, the Massachusetts Business Roundtable panel discussion focused on how to prepare students and workers for an AI-enabled economy.
"We have much to contribute to this conversation, and I was proud to discuss initiatives such as:
1. Launching a micro credential program in Applied Generative and Agentic AI that will feature industry-specific tracks. . .
2. Partnering with local Chambers of Commerce to provide BSU student interns with opportunities to provide support to businesses interested in using AI . . .
3. And incorporating AI literacy into academic programing wherever appropriate.
“These efforts are imperative if we are to continue adequately serving our students and region," the president said.
“As we know, many employees in Massachusetts graduate from public institutions like BSU, and proficiency in AI is an increasingly critical component of their resumes.
“AI literacy is also an equity issue because roles requiring AI skills pay approximately $18,000 more per year.
"If AI literacy only reaches students at elite institutions, we will deepen inequalities that have persisted for far too long.
“At BSU, we espouse the values of a liberal arts education. Our students graduate with the critical thinking and ethical reasoning skills that prepare them to be leaders capable of adapting to an ever-changing society.
“In the age of artificial intelligence, those same skills have never been more important,” the president concluded.
Memory Lane: Remembering
Frank Palmer Speare,
Classof 1889,
First President of Northeastern University
Our first story (top of the page) in today's report about coop education mentions Northeastern University, which is certainly one of Boston's most celebrated universities.
If you visit Northeastern University, you'll see "Frank Palmer Speare Hall," one of NU's largest dormitories.
We made a video about him - link below - which tells the story of how this Bridgewater State graduate helped establish Northeastern and then became its first president, serving 43 years.
Here's the link:
BSU Welcomes Alumna With an International Background to its Marketing Staff
We're grateful to Ms. Heather Harris Michonski, G '26, senior communications manager in BSU's Office of Enrollment, Marketing and Communications, for sharing with us an interview she recently did with Ms. Chloe Kane, '23, who brings an interesting background to her appointment to the staff of the Office of Enrollment, Marketing and Communication.
We share highlights here:
"Three years ago, Chloe Kane, ’23, born in Paris, France, graduated from Bridgewater State University with a degree in marketing, summa cum laude.
"As a Bridgewater State undergraduate, she secured an internship with a remote digital marketing agency. She started in operations for the agency but soon moved into marketing and she found that she enjoyed the work.
"Ms. Kane stayed on as an intern until graduation before being hired as a full-time consultant. She then worked her way up from SEO coordinator to principal consultant, where she managed client accounts and managed a small team.
"During that time, Ms. Kane also earned her SAFe Product Owners/Product Manager certification and worked on optimizing website content for AI search results.
"She brought her skillset to BSU this past December when she was hired to serve as a marketing assistant and copywriter, integrated marketing, in the Division Enrollment, Marketing and Communications (EMC)."
Here are a few highlights of the interview . . .
Q. Why did you choose this career path, what inspired you?
A. I grew up in France and graduated from high school in Paris in 2011. I didn’t grow up knowing exactly what I wanted to do for a career. Not because there was nothing that I loved, but because it was hard to choose just one path. I enjoy learning new things, understanding how things work and observing people’s behavior.
After that, I earned a certificate to become a flight attendant, but the job market in France was very saturated at the time, so I decided to pursue other opportunities. I then worked for two years as an administrative assistant in the admissions department
of a hospital.
Later, I became an au pair in the United States. I’ve always loved learning languages, so it was a great opportunity for me to discover a new culture and improve my English.
It wasn’t until my late twenties that I decided to go to college and pursue a degree in marketing. Marketing felt like the right field for me because it is such a broad domain. It offers the opportunity to work in many different industries and to use a wide range of skills, from creativity to analytics. That variety is what really drew me to it.
Q. What are your main responsibilities in your current role?
A. In my role as marketing assistant and copywriter within EMC, I help create content for marketing campaigns across different channels, including digital ads, landing pages, print materials and the university website. I also work on campaigns that target prospective undergraduate, transfer and graduate students, with the goal of encouraging them to consider enrolling at BSU. My work includes writing copy, selecting images for campaign assets and collaborating with vendors and different teams across the university to help bring
campaigns to life.
The final monthly meeting for this academic year of BSU's Retired Faculty Club will take place at 12:30 on Wednesday, May 7, 2026.
The featured speaker will be President Clark.