Bridgewater State University
Bridgewater State University
"AI" Takes Us Back Across the Centuries, Thanks to BTV
BTV Access Corporation in the town of Bridgewater recently produced a stunning video using artificial intelligence to trace the entire history of the town
of Bridgewater.
Above is an image from the video showing the old Town Hall, where Bridgewater State University, occupying a room in the basement, first opened its doors in September, 1840 to a class of seven men and 21 women.
To see the video, please click on the link below:
President Clark recently shared with the university community the photo above and the commentary below:
As Massachusetts celebrates one year of train service to the South Coast, we were honored to host a special summit that highlighted the numerous benefits of convenient, affordable public transportation.
The event included a keynote presentation by Interim Secretary of Transportation and MBTA General Manager/CEO Phillip Eng and panel discussions with state lawmakers, mayors and business leaders.
Speakers reflected on how South Coast Rail has enhanced economic development, tourism and access to education.
That last point is especially salient here at Bridgewater State University.
Our students living in New Bedford, Fall River, Taunton, Freetown and Middleboro can now take a train directly from their hometowns to BSU.
This connection is already making a transformative difference for Adrian Orantes, ’29, who lives in New Bedford and doesn’t have a driver’s license.
“It was a big factor as to why I came to Bridgewater,” Adrian said. “Having the train made BSU a viable location and option for me.”
Of course, access alone is insufficient; transportation must also be affordable.
To address this essential factor, we collaborated with the MBTA and Massachusetts Legislature to offer discounted tickets to students from 14 South Coast communities.
Thank you to former student trustee E. Rose, ’25, for advocating for the discount and General Manager Eng and Senator Mark Montigny for their critical support.
Transportation remains a particularly vexing challenge in our commonwealth, but I am confident that the leaders who attended our summit are committed to building an efficient, equitable and sustainable system.
The connections we strengthened at the event will prove invaluable as we continue to alleviate the barriers students face in obtaining a high-quality BSU education.
Rotary Club of the Bridgewaters Elects Mr. Lou Ricciardi, '81, President
Mr. Louis M. Ricciardi, '81, former longtime chairman of BSU's Board of Trustees and for whom the Ricciardi College of Business at BSU is named, has recently been elected to serve as president of the Rotary Club of the Bridgewaters.
In the photo with him at left is Dr. Wing Kai-To, professor of history and active Rotary Club member, and in center is Dr. Fran Jeffries, former director of grants and sponsored projects at Bridgewater State who is also a former Rotary Club president.
Bridgewater State University's Children's Physical Developmental Clinic (CPDC) is an outstanding community service which was established here in 1974 by Dr. Joseph Huber, now professor emeritus.
Recently Mr. Brian Benson of BSU's Office of Enrollment, Marketing and Communications authored an article about the clinic and you can read it by clicking on the link below:
Memory Lane: Thank you, Mary Tyler Mann
The wonders one discovers when reading through Dr, Thomas Turner's 2010 history of the university, Not to be Ministered unto But to Minister: Bridgewater State College, 1840-2010.
It was there, early in the book, we discovered Mary Tyler Mann, the wife of Horace Mann, acknowledged as the father of the Normal School movement in America which led to our founding in 1840.
In the field of education, Mary Tyler Mann is considered as one of the most influential women of her time in America, an energetic reformer who promoted tirelessly for women to have greater access to learning opportunities at a time when most women were denied such access.
She's described as a "pioneer of kindergarten schools in the United States, a liberal thinker and reformer, and the author of The Life and Works of Horace Mann."
In 1837, as the Normal School movement was slowly winning adherents, Horace Mann was appointed Secretary to the Massachusetts Board of Education and Mary served as his assistant, contributing essays in support of the idea of establishing formal training for those who aspired to be teachers.
Her influence on Mr. Mann was substantial, both professionally and personally (they married in 1843 and left immediately for a honeymoon in Europe, where they visited schools in England, Scotland, Germany and Holland to expand their own knowledge of quality educational systems).
Dr. Turner, in his book, introduced us to this woman and her pivotal role in what would lead to the establishment of this university185 years ago.
Thank you, Mary Tyler Mann and thank you, Dr. Thomas Turner.
Next edition: June 18th