Bridgewater State University is a
public university
A public university or public college is a university or college that is in owned by the state or receives significant public funds through a national or subnational government, as opposed to a private university. Whether a national universi ...
with its main campus in
Bridgewater, Massachusetts
Bridgewater is a town located in Plymouth County, in the state of Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the town's population was 28,633. Bridgewater is located approximately south of Boston and approximately 35 miles east ...
. It is the largest of nine state universities in Massachusetts. Including its off-campus sites in
New Bedford
New Bedford (Massachusett: ) is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts. It is located on the Acushnet River in what is known as the South Coast region. Up through the 17th century, the area was the territory of the Wampanoag Native American p ...
,
Attleboro
Attleboro is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It was once known as "The Jewelry Capital of the World" for its many jewelry manufacturers. According to the 2020 census, Attleboro had a population of 46,461.
Attleboro is ...
, and
Cape Cod
Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of mainland Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer mont ...
, BSU has the fourth-largest campus of the 29 institutions in the Massachusetts Public Higher Education System. BSU's sports teams are called the Bears. School colors are crimson, white, and black.
History
Foundation
![Nicholas Tillinghast (1804-1856) (cropped)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Nicholas_Tillinghast_%281804-1856%29_%28cropped%29.jpg)
Bridgewater State University was founded by
Horace Mann
Horace Mann (May 4, 1796August 2, 1859) was an American educational reformer, slavery abolitionist and Whig politician known for his commitment to promoting public education. In 1848, after public service as Secretary of the Massachusetts Sta ...
as Bridgewater Normal School. It opened on September 9, 1840,
[ making it the oldest permanently-located institution of public higher education in Massachusetts. As one of the first ]normal schools
A normal school or normal college is an institution created to train teachers by educating them in the norms of pedagogy and curriculum. In the 19th century in the United States, instruction in normal schools was at the high school level, turn ...
in the nation, its initial mission was to train school teacher
A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching.
''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. whe ...
s. Today Bridgewater, which is regarded as the "home of teacher education in America", has the largest enrollment of teacher education students in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Since the 1960s, the school has expanded its program to include liberal arts, business, and aviation science. It became a university and took on its present name in 2010. During its history, it has also been known as Bridgewater State College, Bridgewater Teachers College, Bridgewater State Teachers College, and State Teachers College at Bridgewater.
The normal school opened in the basement of the Old Bridgewater Town Hall, in a 40-foot by 50-foot space, divided into three rooms: an ante-room for students, an apparatus room, and a classroom. The first class consisted of 21 women and seven men. Nicholas Tillinghast, the first principal (1840–53) was initially the only instructor. The school year consisted of two 14-week terms. Students were not required to attend consecutively.
In 1845, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts finally agreed to construct a building for Bridgewater State Normal School, the first building ever erected in America for the preparation of teachers. This two-story wooden building, 64 feet by 42 feet, accommodating 84 students, was to be the institution's educational plant for almost half a century. There were small and large classrooms, with blackboards in each. Since changes were made to the school, the board of education required people to attend three terms for fourteen consecutive weeks, establishing a year's course. The building was dedicated on August 19, 1846, with Horace Mann saying on the occasion: "Among all the lights and shadows that ever crossed my path, this day’s radiance is the brightest...I consider this event as marking an era in the progress of education—which as we all know is the progress of civilization-on this western continent, and throughout the world. It is the completion of the first normal schoolhouse ever erected in Massachusetts,—in the Union,—in this hemisphere. It belongs to that class of events which may happen once, but are not capable of being repeated. Coiled up in this institution, as in a spring, there is a vigor whose uncoiling may wheel the spheres."[ This first normal school established a professional standard for the preparation of teachers, breaking away from traditional academics for attendance. It was the next step toward establishing educational institutions for specific purposes.
Bridgewater Normal School trained its students in elementary-school subjects; expansion subjects above the elementary level including mathematics, philosophy, and literature; and pedagogy, including philosophy of teaching and discipline based on child psychology, and as much practical experience under constant supervision as possible at the model school.][
]
1924 fire
An early-morning fire on Wednesday December 10, 1924, destroyed three of the college's buildings, over half of the campus:[Arthur C. Boyden, ''The History of Bridgewater Normal School'', Bridgewater, Massachusetts: Bridgewater Normal Alumni Association, 1933, .] Tillinghast Hall, the Training School, and old Woodward dormitories. The Normal School and the boiler room were saved.[''Bridgewater State College: As We Were ... As We Are, 1840–1976''. Bridgewater, Massachusetts: Alumni Association, Bridgewater State College, 1976. .] The fire was so large that other towns' fire departments had to be called to assist. The cause of the fire was not definitely established, but it is believed to have been either "rats or mice" gnawing in the heating ducts, or a spontaneous combustion.[Normal Offering 1925. Blanchard Print, 1925.] There were reportedly no injuries.[
The Normal School and boiler room were repaired immediately.] Tillinghast Hall was rebuilt and a new Woodward dorm built. The training school was housed in a different building temporarily and later a new building was built for it exemplifying a well equipped elementary school, with a gym and playground. The total State appropriation for the Normal School repairs and rebuilding of the training school was $606,566, in addition to $86,500 from the town.[ The Normal Building and Tillinghast Hall were rebuilt and opened in June 1926, now renamed as Boyden Hall and Harrington Hall.]
Mid twentieth century to present
In the 1950s, many veterans of the Korean War
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Korean War
, partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict
, image = Korean War Montage 2.png
, image_size = 300px
, caption = Clockwise from top:{ ...
enrolled and proms were the highlight of the year for them. In 1957 the John J. Kelly Gym was built and in 1959 SAT scores were required to be submitted for the first time.["Bridgewater State University Timeline]
". Bridgewater State University, n.d. Retrieved 5 Dec 2011.
During the 1960s the liberal arts
Liberal arts education (from Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as La ...
curriculum was introduced.[ The Ivy Exercises, in which the junior class would form an archway with ivy leaves leading up to the school on graduation day, were dying out. In 1960 Pope Hall was built as an all women's dorm. Scott Hall was built in 1961 as an all men's dorm. The Marshall Conant Science Building was built in 1964 and was named after the school's second principal. In 1967 Shea and Durgin Halls were built as co-ed dorms.]
In 1971 The Clement C. Maxwell Library was completed. In 1976 the tennis courts opened and students could enjoy movies on Sundays and Tuesdays for 25 to 75 cents. From 1970 to 1990 the college expanded and enrollment quadrupled. The number of faculty tripled. During this time, Education became the most popular major, and remains so today.[
In 1992 the college established the School of Education and Allied Studies and the School of Arts and Sciences. In 1995 the Moakley Center opened. From 1999 to 2002 the college had an endowment campaign to raise 10 million dollars to support academics.][
In 2010 Bridgewater State was one of the Massachusetts state colleges that chose to become a university. This would boost its popularity, attract more contributions, increase student applications and enrollment, and give the school a higher profile. On July 22, 2010, the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate voted to give the college university status and change its name to Bridgewater State University. The measure was signed into law by Massachusetts Governor ]Deval Patrick
Deval Laurdine Patrick (born July 31, 1956) is an American politician, civil rights lawyer, author, and businessman who served as the 71st governor of Massachusetts from 2007 to 2015. He was first elected in 2006, succeeding Mitt Romney, who ...
on July 28, 2010. Today the university is considered the "Birthplace of teacher education in America", and has one of the most prominent and distinguished Teaching & Education programs in the country. It has the largest teacher enrollment in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.[
]
Presidents
*Nicholas Tillinghast (1840–1853)
*Marshall Conant (1853–1860)
*Albert Gardner Boyden (1860–1906)
*Arthur Boyden (1906–1933)
*Zenos E. Scott (1933–1937)
*John J. Kelly (1937–1951)
*Clement C. Maxwell (1951–1962)
*Adrian Rondileau (1962–1986, 1988–1989)
* Gerard T. Indelicato (1986–1987)
*Adrian Tinsley Adrian Tinsley was President of Bridgewater State College from 1989 until 2002 and was their first female President.
Education
Tinsley was an honors graduate of Bryn Mawr College (1958, psychology) and earned a master’s degree from the University ...
(1989–2002)
*Dana Mohler-Faria Dana Mohler-Faria was the eleventh president of Bridgewater State University serving from 2002 until his retirement in 2015. and a member of the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. He was formerly the Special Advisor for Edu ...
(2002–2015)
*Frederick W. Clark Jr. (2015–present)
Academics
Bridgewater State University is among America's oldest teacher education institutions, the first to have a building devoted to education of teachers. Bridgewater continues today to lead in the preparation of educators as the largest producer of Massachusetts teachers, holding the highest national ranking available (Title II first quartile). It is one of seven universities accredited in Massachusetts for teacher education according to the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) The university is also accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, The National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC), the Board of Higher Education.
The university has 108 majors in 35 areas of studies starting with the popular education, aviation, psychology, accounting, criminal justice and many others. The university has 30 academic departments ranging from Accounting and Finance to Theatre and Dance.
BSU is the second most affordable state university when it comes to undergraduate in-state tuition. Bridgewater State University is accredited
Accreditation is the independent, third-party evaluation of a conformity assessment body (such as certification body, inspection body or laboratory) against recognised standards, conveying formal demonstration of its impartiality and competence to ...
by the New England Commission of Higher Education
The New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) is a voluntary, peer-based, non-profit membership organization that performs peer evaluation and accreditation of public and private universities and colleges in the United States and other ...
.
Schools to colleges
On July 1, 2010, the former School of Arts and Sciences was split into the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and the School of Science and Mathematics. In October 2010, the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, the School of Science and Mathematics, the Ricciardi School of Business and the School of Graduate Studies, were all renamed colleges, and the Department of Social Work was renamed the School of Social Work. The College of Humanities and Social Sciences currently consist of fifteen academic departments, the Bartlett College of Science and Mathematics has six departments, the College of Education and Health Sciences has five departments, and the Ricciardi College of Business has three.
Fine arts
The university has had active arts programs since the late 19th century. There are three main buildings dedicated to the Arts, the oldest of which is the Art Center (1906) which was originally built as a gymnasium. The Wallace Anderson Gallery on the ground floor of the center was made possible by the Class of 1936. The gallery holds changing exhibitions throughout the year, one exhibition being the student show. The Rondileau Campus Center houses the university's theater department, which puts on six shows a year. Next to and beneath the auditorium stage are classrooms and departmental offices and facilities, including a script library. Attached to the Rondileau Campus Center is the auditorium, which holds 1,300 people. In addition to Bridgewater's own performances, it has hosted the New York City Opera
The New York City Opera (NYCO) is an American opera company located in Manhattan in New York City. The company has been active from 1943 through 2013 (when it filed for bankruptcy), and again since 2016 when it was revived.
The opera company, du ...
, the Martha Graham Dance Company
The Martha Graham Dance Company, founded in 1926, is known for being the oldest American dance company. Founded by Martha Graham as a contemporary dance company, it continued to perform pieces, revive classics, and train dancers even after Graham's ...
, and Tony Bennett
Anthony Dominick Benedetto (born August 3, 1926), known professionally as Tony Bennett, is an American retired singer of traditional pop standards, big band, show tunes, and jazz. Bennett is also a painter, having created works under his birt ...
. A dance studio has been added to Burnell Hall.
Honors program
To be accepted into the Honors Program, an upcoming freshman must have a high school GPA of 3.3 or higher, and once inducted, the student must maintain that 3.3. If the GPA were to fall below that mark, then the student would be put on probation for a semester. However, if GPA were to fall below 2.7, then the student would automatically be removed from the program.
More than eighty percent of the honors student's academic work is completed in non-honors classes. To graduate with honors, a student must have twelve honors credits. A regular honors course is three credits, and the honors colloquia are worth one credit but only meet once a week for fifty minutes. Once in junior year, a student must take departmental honors classes, which are classes that specify in his or her major.
The honors students receive numerous perks, such as their own section in the academic achievement center. There are five computers located in there, all hooked up to a color printer that is free. The honors students also enjoy private events such as a biannual dinner, a fall book club, and an honors thesis workshop for those who are beginning to work on their thesis.
Scott Hall is the home to the residential Honors first-year living-learning community. Weygand Hall is the home to the residential Honors upperclassman living-learning community
Research
The Adrian Tinsley Program (ATP) is the university's undergraduate research
Undergraduate research is often described as the exploration of a specific research topic by an undergraduate student that seeks to make an original contribution to the disciplinIt is a fairly recent concept in the academic community, with roots i ...
program.
Campus
West Campus
*Samuel P. Gates House (1876, ) is a small wood-frame structure that was once the dwelling of Samuel Gates.
*Boyden Hall (1924, ) was constructed as the main building of Bridgewater Normal School following the campus fire of 1924. It now houses the Registrar's Office, Financial Aid services, Student Accounts, the President and Vice President's offices, administrative offices, the department of Information Technology
Information technology (IT) is the use of computers to create, process, store, retrieve, and exchange all kinds of data . and information. IT forms part of information and communications technology (ICT). An information technology syste ...
, and several classrooms. On the lowest level, School Street side, is the Horace Mann Auditorium.
*Harrington Hall (1926, ) was named in honor of Lee F. Harrington. Formerly it was the Burnell Campus School (see below). The building houses the School of Business.
*Tillinghast Hall (1916, ), known as "Tilly", is at the corner of School and Summer Streets. Named after the first principal of Bridgewater Normal School, it houses faculty offices, department offices, Flynn Dining Commons, the campus post office, and Military and Veteran Student Services.
*The Art Center (1904, ) was originally constructed as Boyden Gymnasium (an indoor track remains on the second floor). It was converted into the art center in 1974, and now houses the Art Department and the Anderson Art Gallery.
*Hunt Hall (1936, ), formerly the Dr. Albert F. Hunt Junior High School, is on School St. It houses the parking clerk and student ID services in the basement and classrooms on the upper floors.
*Clifford House (1925) (), a former home near the Alumni Center and Maxwell Library, houses the Political Science Department.
*Dr. Edward W. Minnock Institute for Global Engagement (1990, ), a former home and formerly the Davis Alumni Center. Now houses the Minnock Institute for Global Engagement.
*Christian Fellowship Services Building, on Shaw Road, is another former house.
*Clement C. Maxwell Library (1971, ) is a four-story cement-and-brick structure located on Shaw Road with secondary entrances on Park Ave. It is named for former college president Clement C. Maxwell. The facility has over 300,000 volumes, an assorted collection of music and videos, and many classrooms. The third floor Special Collections area features a small museum and specialized collection on Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation throu ...
. A Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational chain of coffeehouses and roastery reserves headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It is the world's largest coffeehouse chain.
As of November 2021, the company had 33,833 stores in 80 cou ...
kiosk is located on the ground floor by the IT Support Services office.
*The Adrian Rondileau Student Union (1970, ) was built on the site of Boyden Park on Park Street. It was known as the Student Union until the retirement of then-president Adrian Rondileau, where it was renamed to The Adrian Rondileau Campus Center until the 2019-2020 Academic Year. The center contains ballrooms and conference rooms, a cafeteria, an open-access computer lab, and a small dining room, and also houses offices for the Center for Multicultural and International Affairs, the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership, the Program Committee, the Student Government Association, Visitor Information, Career Services, and Conference and Events Services. The building was given a $3.5 million renovation in 2013, including a new street-level main entrance and enlarged windows and doors.
*Bridgewater State University Auditorium is a semi-annex to the RSU building, and has two levels of seating and a number of classrooms and offices below it for the Communications, Theatre, and Music Departments. The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Distinguished by the ...
once held a live performance in the auditorium, and it was home to the world premiere of ''"Drakula: The Rock Opera"''.
*Dana Mohler-Faria Science and Mathematics Center (2011), named after one of the university's prior presidents, is on Park Ave and is home to the school's mathematics, computer science, and science departments (Physics
Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which ...
, Chemistry
Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the elements that make up matter to the compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions: their composition, structure, proper ...
, Biology
Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary ...
, and Earth Sciences
Earth science or geoscience includes all fields of natural science related to the planet Earth. This is a branch of science dealing with the physical, chemical, and biological complex constitutions and synergistic linkages of Earth's four spheres ...
and Geography
Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth description") is a field of science devoted to the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, an ...
). At , the Conant Science Center is the largest building on campus. The land separating it from Pope Hall (see below) contains a small park, a memorial area, and a greenhouse. This replaces the original Conant Science Building from 1964 and has an observatory on the roof. Behind the science building, adjacent to the park and to athletic practice fields, is the campus power plant. This building is often referred to as "DMF" by students.
*Welcome Center (2015, ). The two-story facility houses the undergraduate and transfer admissions offices, along with the university's financial aid offices.
*John J. Kelly Gymnasium (1957, ). Located across from the library and next to the science building is this gymnasium, which succeeded the Boyden Gymnasium and preceded the Tinsley Center (see below) as the main athletic building for the campus. It features large and small gyms and a swimming pool. The bottom floor houses classrooms used primarily by the School of Education and Allied Studies. Near the gymnasium is the Catholic Center.
*A short distance from the campus in the woods off 400 Summer Street is the old observatory (1973, ), which is no longer in use. As of 2019, the sight has since been demolished and remains vacant.
East Campus
*The John Joseph Moakley Center for Technological Applications (1995, ) is named for the late former US Representative
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
John Joseph Moakley. This facility features computer labs and a large technologically enhanced auditorium.
*The faculty union, MSCA, occupies a small house on Burrill Avenue, across from the Moakley Center.
*Walter and Marie Hart Hall (1979, ) is connected to the Moakley Center and contains classrooms and offices for the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, the Department of Secondary Education, the Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education, and the Psychology Department.
*Martha Burnell Hall (1979, ), located on Hooper Street and connected to Hart Hall, is a former 400-student elementary school that was run cooperatively by Bridgewater State University and the Bridgewater-Raynham Regional School District. It served as a model school and an area for student teaching and pre-practica experiences, replacing the former Martha Burnell School in Harrington Hall. In 2008, the elementary students moved to other schools in the town of Bridgewater, and Bridgewater State College re-appropriated the building for its own use. A dance studio has been added.
*East Campus Commons (2002, ) houses a dining facility, the campus bookstore, and a Dunkin' Donuts. It is located across a small courtyard from East Hall (see below), a new co-ed dorm constructed at the same time.
*The Adrian Tinsley Center (2002, ) was constructed at the same time as East Campus Commons and East Hall and is named after the university's immediate past president, Adrian Tinsley. It is located behind the Great Hill Student Apartments and Swenson Field, and is the new home of the college's athletic programs. The building contains a modern fitness center as well as a large partitioning gymnasium, a running track on the second floor, and classrooms.
*Operations Center (2003, ), also constructed at the same time as the Tinsley Center and East Hall, is located slightly downhill from Shea and Durgin Halls (see below). This facility houses the Campus Police Headquarters and the offices of carpenters, custodial services, electricians, mechanics, groundskeepers, a locksmith, painters, plumbers, recycling, and transportation.
*The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (abbreviated MBTA and known colloquially as "the T") is the public agency responsible for operating most public transportation services in Greater Boston, Massachusetts. The MBTA transit network ...
runs a commuter rail train station
A train station, railway station, railroad station or depot is a railway facility where trains stop to load or unload passengers, freight or both. It generally consists of at least one platform, one track and a station building providing ...
on the BSU campus. It is located on East Campus near Crimson and Weygand halls. This is the Middleborough/Lakeville Line
Middleborough/Lakeville station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station in Lakeville, Massachusetts, just south of the Middleborough border. It is the southern terminus of the Middleborough/Lakeville Line; it is also an intermediate stop for seasona ...
, which runs from Middleborough to Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
's South Station
South Station, officially The Governor Michael S. Dukakis Transportation Center at South Station, is the largest railroad station and intercity bus terminal in Greater Boston and New England's second-largest transportation center after Logan ...
.
Residential life
Normal schools, because they were state institutions, received no bequests from wealthy alumni.[ After the Civil War, in 1869, the first college dormitory was constructed, called Normal Hall. This was a coed dormitory which was split half and half. Boys on one side, girls on the other. Students would contribute a specific amount of money for food, and the principal would then purchase supplies at the nearest wholesale. Any surplus amount of money at the end of the year was split up between those who had paid. In the 1890s this procedure was discontinued and a set price for board was established.]
In later years, as enrollment grew beginning in 1933,[ new dormitories were constructed: Woodward Hall and Tillinghast. In the post-war period, more dormitories were built: Pope Hall, Scott Hall, Durgin Hall, and Shea Hall.]
West Campus
*Woodward Hall (1924, ) was constructed following the campus fire as a replacement for the old Woodward dormitory of 1911. It was formerly an all-female dormitory, but since the 2007–08 school year has been a freshman co-ed dormitory.
*Scott Hall (1960, renovated and re-opened fall 2009, ), located behind the Campus Center and across from the Davis Alumni Center, is a co-ed residence hall. Scott Hall was an all-male dormitory until it's renovation in 2009.
*Pope Hall (1960, renovated and re-opened fall 2009, ), in front of the Campus Center, across from the Art Center, and next to the science building, is a co-ed residence hall. Pope Hall was an all-female dormitory until its renovation in 2009.
East Campus
*Frankland W. L. Miles, Jr., Hall (1989, ), a co-ed suite-style dormitory constructed in 1989. It is directly adjacent to DiNardo Hall and the two are often considered one main dormitory, separated by a small central courtyard.
*V. James DiNardo Hall (1989, ), a co-ed suite-style dormitory constructed in 1989. It is directly adjacent to Miles Hall and the two are often considered one main dormitory, separated by a small central courtyard.
*Stonehouse Hall (2002, ), formerly known as East Hall is a co-ed dorm, located across a small courtyard from the East Campus Commons. It is one of three dorms with full climate control.
*Great Hill Student Apartments (1978, ), located up Great Hill from East Hall, is a series of apartment buildings for upperclassmen. It is the only location on campus where alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage (also called an alcoholic drink, adult beverage, or a drink) is a drink that contains ethanol, a type of Alcohol (chemistry), alcohol that acts Alcohol (drug), as a drug and is produced by Ethanol fermentation, fermentat ...
s are allowed.
*Shea and Durgin Halls (1967, ) occupy a symmetrical building up Great Hill from the apartments and house freshmen. The Dr. Henry Rosen Memorial Tennis Courts are in front of the building.
*Crimson Hall (2007, ) is a co-ed residence for upperclassmen located next to Weygand Hall and East Campus Commons. Crimson is one of three dorms with full climate control and the only dorm that contains a dining facility.
*Weygand Hall (2013, ) is the newest residential hall on campus, housing 500 students. It is built on the site of the former Lower Great Hill Parking Lot. It is to the east of Crimson Hall, south of East Hall and East Campus Commons, and to the west of the Parking Garage. It is also close to the MBTA Commuter Rail stop. It is a co-ed residence for upperclassmen, featuring suites similar to Crimson Hall. Weygand is one of three dorms with full climate control. On the ground level of the building, on the side closer to the MBTA stop, is Counseling and Health Services (formerly in Tillinghast Hall)
Student life
Clubs and organizations
Bridgewater State University has over 160 clubs and organizations.
Four sororities, three fraternities and one co-educational fraternity are offered at BSU: Alpha Sigma Tau
Alpha Sigma Tau (known as or Alpha Tau) is a national sorority founded on November 4, 1899, at Eastern Michigan University (formerly Michigan State Normal College). A member of the National Panhellenic Conference, the sorority has 83 active col ...
, founded in 2014, Delta Phi Epsilon Delta Phi Epsilon () may refer to:
*Delta Phi Epsilon (professional), the professional foreign service fraternity and sorority
*Delta Phi Epsilon (social)
Delta Phi Epsilon ( or DPhiE) is an international Fraternities and sororities in North Ame ...
, founded on December 8, 2010, Gamma Phi Beta
Gamma Phi Beta (, also known as GPhi or Gamma Phi) is an international college sorority. It was founded in Syracuse University in 1874, and was the first of the Greek organizations to call itself a sorority. The main archive URL iThe Baird's Man ...
, founded November 22, 1987, Phi Sigma Sigma
Phi Sigma Sigma (), colloquially known as Phi Sig, was the first collegiate nonsectarian sorority to allow membership of women of all faiths and backgrounds.
The sorority was founded on November 26, 1913, and lists 60,000 initiated members, 115 ...
, founded in 1989, Kappa Delta Phi
Kappa Delta Phi (), also known as KDPhi, is a social fraternity that was founded on April 14, 1900, at the Bridgewater State Normal School, now known as Bridgewater State University. The fraternity currently boasts 14 active chapters. A sorori ...
, founded on April 14, 1900, Phi Kappa Theta, founded in 1889, Sigma Pi
Sigma Pi () is a collegiate fraternity with 233 chapters at American universities. As of 2021, the fraternity had more than 5,000 undergraduate members and over 110,000 alumni.
Sigma Pi headquarters are in Nashville, Tennessee.
The fraternit ...
, and Phi Pi Delta.
Bridgewater State's Student Government Association (SGA) is an organization of students who represent the Bridgewater State community. Through SGA, the student body can express their academic and social wants and needs. SGA is made up of five different boards: the policy board, finance board, events board, election board, and media board.
Campus media
The Comment
''The Comment'' had its start in 1927. At the time ''The Comment'' served “as bulletin of school affairs and to make each class better acquainted with the activities and interests of other classes." Today, ''The Comment'' has about 20 staff writers and prints nine newspapers per semester printing 1100 copies each time. It is funded by the SGA (Student Government Association). ''The Comment'' has a website that is updated daily with news about the school and sports at Bridgewater State University, but also with current news of the nation. Their main motive is to relate the stories back to Bridgewater students. With that being said, it is a common occurrence to see faces and stories of students in the newspaper. ''The Comment'' focuses on upcoming events rather than reviews to catch hold of the reader's interest.
WBIM
WBIM-FM/91.5, (originally known as “We're Bridgewater Instructional Media”) is one of the longest running and one of few fully student-run college radio stations in the Northeast and has been on the air since November, 1972. WBIM-FM specializes in up-and-coming artists, alternative rock, and indie rock. The station promotes the programs through Facebook, Twitter, and their website, which also streams the music live during every show.
Commuting
Commuters pay an estimated total of $7,553 a year to attend Bridgewater. The cost of the parking decal for part-time students is $65 and full-time students is $160. A full-time student has 12 or more credits and a part-time student has 11 or less credits.
Students can choose from several lots to park in, depending on the time of day. Spring Street Lot is located off of Spring Street and can be accessed by taking Route 104 or Route 18. The lot is located right behind the railroad tracks, a short distance from campus. One is located near the bookstore and Crimson Hall Dormitories. West Campus lots are not available to commuters prior to 4pm. Hooper Street Lot is located near Burnell Hall and Hart Hall. Swenson Field Lot is located in front of the Bridgewater State football field. The newest addition to the parking lots is the parking garage, which opened in January 2012. The garage has approximately 840 parking spaces for students. The parking garage is for commuters and is located behind Crimson Hall and Shea-Durgin Hall and is adjacent to the BSU Police Station. All commuter lots close at 2AM daily.
The Railroad is another way commuters travel to the school campus. Bridgewater State is served by the MBTA Commuter Rail
The MBTA Commuter Rail system serves as the commuter rail arm of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's transportation coverage of Greater Boston in the United States. Trains run over of track to 141 different stations, with 58 stati ...
. The train station
A train station, railway station, railroad station or depot is a railway facility where trains stop to load or unload passengers, freight or both. It generally consists of at least one platform, one track and a station building providing ...
is located at 85 Burrill Avenue; commuters cut through the MBTA parking lot from the train station for easy access to the campus. The railroad tracks divide the campus in half between East and West campus. There is a small walkway underpass beneath the rail line which allows students to walk between East and West campus, along with an at-grade railroad crossing on Plymouth St., next to the Welcome Center, for motorists to drive between campuses. The stops on the line go all the way from South Station to Lakeville. The Commuter Rail takes about 45 minutes to get to South Station
South Station, officially The Governor Michael S. Dukakis Transportation Center at South Station, is the largest railroad station and intercity bus terminal in Greater Boston and New England's second-largest transportation center after Logan ...
in Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
.
Athletics
Bridgewater State University fields 22 varsity athletic teams (10 men's 12 women's) competing at the NCAA Division III
NCAA Division III (D-III) is a division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States. D-III consists of athletic programs at colleges and universities that choose not to offer athletic scholarships to their ...
level.
Future expansion
West Campus
The college had planned a $100 million renovation and expansion of the 1964 Marshall Conant Science Building (), but the plans changed, and instead most of the old building was demolished and replaced with a new facility, which opened in 2011.
Additions to Pope and Scott Halls opened in fall 2009, increasing their capacity by 150 beds each.
Renovations and additions to the Rondileau Campus Center (RCC) began in spring 2013 and were finished by December. The project cost the school more than $3.5 million and included lowering the main entrance on Park Avenue to street level, with the stairs being replaced by ramps for improved accessibility, installation of larger, more energy-efficient windows and doors, and interior upgrades.
In April 2014, construction began on a new Welcome Center on Plymouth Street. The building is a two-story, 15,000-square-foot facility, and it houses the undergraduate and transfer admissions offices, along with the university's financial aid offices. Construction of the Welcome Center was completed in the Spring of 2015.
Renovations and additions to Woodward Hall began in June 2014 and finished shortly before the Fall 2014 semester commenced. The renovation included the installation of new floors, ceilings and walls, along with new bedroom furniture and the installation of an elevator & entrance stairs.
East Campus
Crimson Hall, a new 400-bed residence hall on the East Campus, opened in the fall of 2007.
The college has constructed a new 600-space parking area, the Tower Lot, behind the Operations Center. The lot where the new residence hall is being built was a 1,000-spot parking lot. The new building has taken 400 of those 1,000. The Tower Lot has been built in an attempt to regain some parking spots lost during the construction.
There has been a discussion of building a fine and performing arts center in the distant future.
A new residence hall, Weygand Hall, was constructed on East Campus in 2013. The building uses geothermal and solar energy to minimize energy usage.
The roughly 200-space parking lot next to the MBTA railroad underpass on East Campus has been converted into a park to balance the construction of a parking garage behind Crimson Hall. Construction on the park was completed in late 2012.
Cape Cod campus
In November 2013, the university announced plans to open a satellite campus on Cape Cod
Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of mainland Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer mont ...
. The opening of this satellite campus helped to accommodate the high number of students who commute daily to the main campus from Cape Cod. Approximately 600 Bridgewater State students reside on or commute from Cape Cod to the main campus in Bridgewater. The campus is located in the former MacArthur School in South Yarmouth, Massachusetts. This satellite campus opened in January 2015, offering undergraduate and graduate courses in Early Childhood Education, Educational Leadership, Secondary Education, Reading, and Special Education, along with certificate programs in Business and Social Work. The campus offers a number of undergraduate credit courses in History beginning in Summer 2015.
Attleboro campus
In January 2009 a small location was opened up in Attleboro, Massachusetts. It is attached to Bristol Community College. Located at 11 Field Road, Attleboro, MA 02703
Media
Bridgewater State University has a student-run radio station, 91.5 WBIM FM.
Bridgewater State University has had its own student-run newspaper since 1927, called ''The Comment''.
''The Bridge'', Bridgewater State University's student journal of literature and fine art, was established in 2004. The journal has won many national awards, including multiple Gold Crown and Gold Circle
Gold Circle was a discount department store chain based in Ohio. Founded in 1967, it was a division of Federated Department Stores with 76 stores when the chain was sold and dismantled in 1988.
History
Covering mostly New York, Ohio, Kentucky ...
awards from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association
The Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) is an international student press association, founded in 1925, whose goal is to unite student journalists and faculty advisers at schools and colleges through educational conferences, idea exchang ...
, and the 2006 and 2011 National Pacemaker Award
The National Pacemaker Awards are awards for excellence in American student journalism, given annually since 1927. The awards are generally considered to be the highest national honors in their field, and are unofficially known as the "Pulitzer ...
for collegiate magazines from the Associated Collegiate Press
The Associated Collegiate Press (ACP) is the largest and oldest national membership organization for college student media in the United States. The ACP is a division of the National Scholastic Press Association. It awards the newspaper, mag ...
.
Notable people
Alumni
* Sarah Louise Arnold (1859-1943), first dean of Simmons College; national president, Girls Scouts
* Clara Bancroft Beatley (1858-1923), educator, lecturer, author
*Isawa Shūji
was a Japanese educator of the Meiji period.
Biography
Isawa Shūji was born in 1851 in the Takatō Domain, Shinano Province, to an impoverished samurai family. Shūji's father, Isawa Katsusaburō (伊澤勝三郎, also known as Bunkoku ...
, Japanese Educator during the Meiji Period
The is an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868 to July 30, 1912.
The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudal society at risk of colonization ...
* Stephen Canessa, (Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...
), former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from 14 counties each divided into single-member ...
(served 2006–2011)
* Robert Correia
Robert Correia (January 3, 1939 – July 2, 2021) was an American politician who represented the 12th and 7th Bristol Districts in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1977 to 2008 and served as the 41st Mayor of Fall River, Massachu ...
, ( MEd 1968), member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from 14 counties each divided into single-member ...
(served 1977–2008); former Mayor of Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The City of Fall River's population was 94,000 at the 2020 United States Census, making it the tenth-largest city in the state.
Located along the eastern shore of Mount H ...
(served 2008–2010)
* Jeff Corwin
Jeffrey Corwin (born July 11, 1967) is an American biologist and wildlife conservationist, known for hosting Disney Channel's '' Going Wild with Jeff Corwin'', ''The Jeff Corwin Experience'' on Animal Planet, ABC's ''Ocean Mysteries with J ...
, (B.S.
A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.
The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University ...
), actor, conservationist, producer, popular TV host
* Christopher Dijak, professional wrestler
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...
currently signed to WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vari ...
's developmental brand NXT
NXT may refer to:
Professional wrestling
* ''WWE NXT'', a professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that began in 2010
** NXT (WWE brand), WWE's Florida-based brand and former developmental territory
* ''NXT UK'', the British spin- ...
.
* Jeffrey Donovan
Jeffrey Donovan (born May 11, 1968) is an American actor. He played Michael Westen in the television series ''Burn Notice'', and appeared in films such as '' Hitch'', '' Believe in Me'', '' Changeling'', and ''Come Early Morning''. He played Ro ...
, actor
* James H. Fagan
James H. "Jim" Fagan (born October 13, 1947 in Taunton, Massachusetts) is an American attorney and politician who represented the 3rd Bristol District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1993–2011.
Education and career
Fagan g ...
, (B.A.
Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four yea ...
1969), member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from 14 counties each divided into single-member ...
(1993–2011)
* Rebecca Field, part of the ensemble cast of '' October Road''
* Mark Goddard
Mark Goddard (born Charles Harvey Goddard; July 24, 1936) is an American actor who has starred in a number of television programs. He is probably best known for portraying Major Don West in the CBS series ''Lost in Space'' (1965–1968). He ...
, actor, film writer
* Lou Gorman
James Gerald "Lou" Gorman (February 18, 1929 – April 1, 2011) was an American baseball executive, and the former general manager of the Seattle Mariners and Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. He spent more than three decades in baseball op ...
, (Master's degree), former general manager of the Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eigh ...
(1988–1993)
* Jeff Gorton
Jeff Gorton (born June 6, 1968) is an American ice hockey executive currently serving as Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously served six seasons as general manag ...
, general manager of the New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...
* Walter Harding, (B.S.), distinguished professor, prominent scholar
* Gayle McLaughlin
Gayle McLaughlin (born 1952) is an American politician from Richmond, California. She was first elected to the Richmond City Council in 2004 when she was a member of the Green Party of California. She won two consecutive four-year terms as the ...
, Mayor of the city of Richmond, California
* Peter McNeeley
Peter McNeeley (born October 6, 1968) is an American former heavyweight boxer, best known for his 1995 fight with Mike Tyson, before which McNeeley had said he would wrap Tyson in a "cocoon of horror." McNeeley fought aggressively but was kn ...
, former professional heavyweight boxer
* Raymond J. McNulty, Dean of the School of Education at Southern New Hampshire University
Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) is a private university between Manchester and Hooksett, New Hampshire. The university is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, along with national accreditation for some hospita ...
* Paul Melicharek, PIFL football player for the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks
The Lehigh Valley Steelhawks were a professional indoor football team based in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The Steelhawks began play as an expansion team in the Indoor Football League (IFL) in 2011.
The Steelhawks moved to the Professional Indoor ...
* Joan Menard
Joan M. Menard (born September 6, 1935 in New York City) is a retired American politician who also served as the vice president for work force development, lifelong learning, grant development and external affairs at Bristol Community College.
...
, former member of the Massachusetts Senate
The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the st ...
(served 1999–2011); former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (served 1979–1999)
* Debbie Mueller
Debbie Mueller (born 14 June 1959) is an American middle distance running, middle and long distance running, long-distance runner who won many major road races in the 1980s and 1990s, including the Dublin Marathon.
High school career
Mueller grew ...
, only American winner of the Dublin Marathon
The Dublin Marathon is an annual 26.2 mile (42.2 km) road marathon in Dublin, Ireland, held on the last Sunday in October. Prior to 2016, the race took place on the last Monday in October, which is a public holiday in Ireland. Held each yea ...
, 1984 winner of Twin Cities Marathon
The Twin Cities Marathon (TCM) is an annual marathon in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area which normally takes place the first weekend in October. The race is often called "The Most Beautiful Urban Marathon in America" due to a course that win ...
, pioneer of woman's road racing, BSU Hall of Fame inductee of 1989
* Cristina Nardozzi
Cristina Nardozzi is an American model, actress, television personality, and beauty pageant titleholder who has competed in the Miss USA 2005 pageant but Unplaced.
In late 2004 Nardozzi won the Miss Massachusetts USA 2005 title in Quincy, Massac ...
, Miss Massachusetts USA
The Miss Massachusetts USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Massachusetts in the Miss USA pageant. It is currently produced by The Clemente Organization based in Malden, Massachusetts, which also prod ...
2005
* Warren G. Phillips, (B.A., M.A. in Teaching Physical Sciences, M.Ed. in Instructional Technology), teacher, inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame 2010
* Ann Hobson Pilot
Ann Hobson Pilot (born November 6, 1943) is an American musician and the former principal harpist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops. She has performed with the National Symphony Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony, and as a soloi ...
, ( hon. D.Mus), principal harpist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops
The Boston Pops Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts, specializing in light classical and popular music. The orchestra's current music director is Keith Lockhart.
Founded in 1885 as an offshoot of the Boston Sym ...
* Martin V. Pratt
Martin V. Pratt was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.
Biography
Pratt was born on November 10, 1828, in Easton, Massachusetts. He graduated from what is now Bridgewater State University. In 1869, Pratt married Evaline E. Holmes. They wou ...
, member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin.
Representatives are elected for two-year terms, ...
* Jason Schappert, aviator
* Chris Sparling
Chris Sparling (born March 21, 1977) is an American filmmaker from Providence, Rhode Island.
Career
Upon graduating from Roger Williams University and Bridgewater State University with degrees in Criminal Justice, and after writing, directing, ...
, screenwriter and director
* Frank Palmer Speare, (1889), first president of Northeastern University
* Robert Stack
Robert Stack (born Charles Langford Modini Stack; January 13, 1919 – May 14, 2003) was an American actor. Known for his deep voice and commanding presence, he appeared in over forty feature films. He starred in the highly successful ABC tele ...
, actor and former host of ''Unsolved Mysteries
''Unsolved Mysteries'' is an American mystery documentary television show, created by John Cosgrove and Terry Dunn Meurer. Documenting cold cases and paranormal phenomena, it began as a series of seven specials, presented by Raymond Burr, Ka ...
''
* Ken Stone, professional mixed martial artist
* David B. Sullivan, (MEd), member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (served 1997–2013)
* Karl Wiedergott
Karl Wiedergott (born Karl Aloysious Treaton; February 8, 1969) is a German-born American actor. He is noted for his voice work on the sitcom ''The Simpsons'' from 1998 to 2010, voicing background characters and some celebrities such as John Tra ...
, voice actor on ''The Simpsons
''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer Simpson, Homer, Marge ...
''
Faculty
* John Bardo
John William Bardo (October 28, 1948 – March 12, 2019) was an American educator, most recently serving as the 13th President of Wichita State University (WSU). Previously, Bardo served as a faculty member at Western Carolina University (WCU) ...
, educator, President of Wichita State University
Wichita State University (WSU) is a public research university in Wichita, Kansas, United States. It is governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The university offers more than 60 undergraduate degree programs in more than 200 areas of study in ...
, Chancellor of Western Carolina University
Western Carolina University (WCU) is a public university in Cullowhee, North Carolina. It is part of the University of North Carolina system.
The fifth oldest institution of the sixteen four-year universities in the UNC system, WCU was founded ...
.
* Richard T. Moore, Massachusetts state senator
References
External links
Official website
Official athletics website
{{authority control
Educational institutions established in 1840
Universities and colleges in Plymouth County, Massachusetts
1840 establishments in Massachusetts
Public universities and colleges in Massachusetts