Bridgewater State University
Bridgewater State University
BSU - A Wealth of Undergraduate Research Opportunities
Among the university's best-known qualities are the opportunities undergraduates have to gain hands-on research experience, which is so critically important as they prepare for the next stages In their lives..
Our highly talented web team produced a superb video and we share it below:
BSU Student Creates a New Bear
We're grateful to Ms. Heather Harris Michonski, G '26, of BSU's Office of Enrollment, Marketing and Communications, for sharing the photo and excerpts of the story of a new Bear installation on campus, this on the lawn of Harrington Hall.
What started out as a random sketch turned into a creative, door-opening opportunity for Gabriel Da Silva, ’29.
Earlier this year, Gabriel visited the Wallace L. Anderson Gallery in Bridgewater State University’s Art Center. Inspired by the art hanging on the walls, he took out his sketchpad and began to draw.
His artwork caught the attention of art professor Sarah Washburn who also happened to be there.
“I wasn’t drawing it for a class. I just really liked the paintings in the gallery and tried to sketch what I was viewing,” Gabriel said. “She saw what I was doing and really liked it.”
So much so, Professor Washburn encouraged him to show BSU Director of Collections and Exhibitions Jay Block what he had created.
That’s when Mr. Block shared that the Ricciardi College of Business had requested a business-themed bear statue be installed in front of Harrington Hall to celebrate Bridgewater State’s 185th anniversary.
“I like designing things and thought it would be a really fun challenge to design a bear and leave a little impact on campus,” Mr. Gabriel said.
He was thrilled when he learned his submission was selected for the commission, and that he would be adding to the collection of painted mascots that appear across campus.
Mr. Gabriel’s bright blue, metallic bear was installed in mid-August in front of Harrington Hall, near the Boyden quadrangle.
Intentional with his design, Mr. Gabriel made sure to incorporate the three major areas within the Ricciardi College of Business: finance, marketing, and aviation.
The artistic elements include wings, red stripes with arrows, and stock exchange symbols.
“My objective was that everyone sees their own majors in the bear. I wanted it to be captivating but not overly busy. I wanted to create a design that captures the attention of the people who see it,” Mr. Gabriel said.
Because of the size of the project, Mr. Gabriel couldn’t paint the bear at his Stoughton home.
Instead, Ray “Rod” Delano, a painting and maintenance foreman, allowed him to use the shop within the BSU Operations Department.
“Rod was incredibly helpful, and very patient, too. I am grateful to him and his team,” Mr. Gabriel said.
Mr. Block echoed the sentiment.
“He hosted Gabe over the summer in his shop, allowing him to paint the bear there. It would not have happened without his help,” Mr. Block said.
As a new semester has begun, Mr. Gabriel looks forward to fellow students viewing his artwork.
“Seeing it there, knowing people will look at it, that I painted it myself, that I was able to do that … it’s really cool. It’s very surreal,” he said.
Samuel P. Gates, Class of 1857 - for whom Gates House is named - was a prominent businessman in the town of Bridgewater
We share below excerpts from the 2010 history of the university authored by Dr. Thomas Turner, professor emeritus of history, to learn more about Mr. Gates.
Gates House, which was willed to the university by Mr. Gates, was originally built in 1884 and was moved to its present location on Cedar Street behind Boyden Hall after the fire of 1924 (it was first built by a wealthy physician-turned-artist before it was acquired by Mr. Gates, and or the first 30 years, it face the other side of today's
oday's Hunt Hall).
It is the only 19th century building still in daily use at Bridgewater (it's the home of the Office of Outreach and Engagement) but Gates House was a residence hall for years and later the home of President Clement Maxwell (`952-1962) and President and Mrs. Adrian Rondileau (1962-1986).
Next, Gates House became the home of the Office of Admissions and served
other administrative offices as well.
A plan to destroy the building was under consideration in the early 1990's's but, happily, the plan was never executed.
"Not to be Ministered unto but to Minister"
Dr. Thomas Turner, professor emeritus of history
"Interestingly, the rebuilding of the campus following the fire of 1924 also involved the acquisition of the estate of alumnus Samuel Pearly Gates, Class of 1857. Gates was a prominent businessman, who was treasurer of the Bridgewater Savings Bank from 1872 until his death in 1914," wrote Dr. Turner.
"His home, built in the 1880s, stood on a lot of land bordered by School, Cedar, Grove and Maple streets. The house faced School Street across from the Hunt building )(formerly the town’s Albert F. Hunt School, named after a chairman of the school committee).
"The Queen Anne-style architecture was described by alumna Louise Dickinson Rich, who lived as a child on the opposite corner, as 'of all sorts of odd-shaped windows and gables.'
"Upon Gates’ death, the property passed to his sister, Mary Shaw, who lived in the town of Ashby. Gates stipulated that on her death, the property would go to the state.
"Fortunately for Bridgewater State Normal School rebuilding plans, Ms. Shaw transferred the property to the commonwealth shortly before her death on April 2, 1925," continued Dr. Turner.
"This meant that the property would not have to pass through a lengthy probate and allowed the new academic building to be constructed in a timely fashion. The state also had to dispose of a barn and smaller building," Dr. Turner stated.
"Bridgewater was a busy place during 1925 with the water system and the new school buildings under construction simultaneously. Before work could begin on the new administration and classroom buildings, Gates House had to be moved from its School Street location to the Grove Street side of the lot. Moving houses was a common occurrence in the 19th century, using hard labor to lift buildings and then move the
buildings intact on sleds pulled by horses to a new location."
Remembering Dr. David Sudhalter and Professor Margaret Souza
Since our last report, we've learned of the passing of Dr. David Sudhalter, professor emeritus of political science - at age 99, our oldest living faculty member - and Professor Margaret Souza, age 92, professor emerita of chemical sciences.
A few years ago we did a video interview with Dr. Sudhalter (pictured below).
![David Sudhalter].JPG](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3d7f09_94b19edf198f4569a144de35a246770d~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_600,h_400,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/David%20Sudhalter%5D_JPG.jpg)
You can watch the interview here:
Professor Souza, a member of the Class of 1956 at then-Bridgewater State Teachers College (her yearbook photo is below - her maiden name was Borden) went on to earn her master's degree at Boston College and returned to her alma mater to teach organic chemistry and environmental chemistry.
Professor Souza was on the university faculty from 1965 to 1998, a total of 33 years, and the students of the class of '98 included her among those to whom the yearbook was dedicated.
Retired Faculty Club Upcoming Luncheons
November 4, 2026 Dr. Michael Kryzanek, Emeritus, Political Science – Results of the 2026 midterm elections
Luncheon at noon – Heritage Room, Maxwell Library
February 3, 2027 Dr. John Kucich, English, Presentation on Native Americans in Littleton, MA during Thoreau’s time.
Luncheon at noon - Heritage Room, Maxwell Library
March 3, 2027 Ms. Jennifer Turner, Executive Director of the Robbins House, an African American Museum in Concord, MA who has taught at BSU as a VL, History Dept., and the Senior College
Luncheon at noon - Heritage Room, Maxwell Library
April 7, 2027 Dr. Orson Kingsley, Director, Archives – Tour of the BSU Archives
Luncheon at noon – Heritage Room, Maxwell Library (Tour of Archives to follow)
May 5, 2027 Retired Faculty Club Business Meeting
Luncheon at noon – Heritage Room, Maxwell Library (Business meeting to follow)
Club dues annual membership fee is $25.00
Luncheon cost is $15.00 per person
This concludes the report for Monday, October 17, 2026
Next edition: Monday, October 24, 2026