Celebrating Homecoming/Family Day 2009 (Multimedia)

Posted on November 3, 2009 - Permalink
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Scenes from a great weekend.

(Photos by Rob Matheson, Office of Institutional Communications)

Gov. Deval Patrick

(L to r) Louis Ricciardi, Megan Dobro and David Perini

Gov. Patrick and President Dana Mohler-Faria

Megan Dobro

Shovels in! (L to r) Sen. Marc Pacheco, Gov. Patrick, Rep. David Flynn, President Mohler-Faria and David Perini

BSC Breaks Ground on New Math and Science Center

Posted on October 31, 2009 - Permalink
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Gov. Deval Patrick joined President Mohler-Faria, members of the college community, and distinguished guests today to break ground on a $98.7-million Math and Science Center. College and state officials hailed the new complex as a great catalyst in the region for education and technology.

President Mohler-Faria hosted the ceremony in the Rondileau Campus Center ballroom, and called the math and science center "long overdue."

Many at the ceremony spoke about the need for the new center, and called it an investment in future generations.

"We invest in public higher education today to prepare our students for a better tomorrow," Gov. Patrick said. "Bridgewater State is totally committed to creating opportunities for young men and women, and this science building is a fitting example of that.

The new 213,000-square-foot science center will be double the size of the college's current facility, the Conant Science Building, which was built in the 1960s. It will be the locus of study for nearly 800 science and math students, and have office space for 56 full-time faculty members.

Major improvements to the existing building and the construction of a new addition, as well as the demolition of one wing of the original structure, will bring together the now-scattered biology, chemistry, earth science, geography, physics, math, and computer science departments. The multi-phased project will integrate and expand these teaching and research facilities, resulting in a cutting-edge undergraduate science program.

Lou Ricciardi, '81, chairman of the BSC Board of Trustees, opened his remarks by saying, "This is a real good day." He added that even though the country is in a recession, "we still have a future to plan for& We still have an obligation to educate our future innovators."

The center will also educate a great number of future educators, as BSC remains the commonwealth's largest provider of new K-12 science and math teachers. Since an overwhelming majority of graduates remain and work in the region, college and state officials said they expect the new Math and Science Center to be a great resource throughout the commonwealth -- and beyond.

"This will become the place to go in southern New England," said state Sen. Marc Pacheco.

State Rep. David Flynn, '58, who along with Sen. Pacheco was cited by President Mohler-Faria as critical to the success of funding the new complex, gave the packed ballroom a little institutional history lesson. He brought that idea home again after discussing the cost of the center and tipping his hat to President Mohler-Faria.

"If Horace Mann, John Quincy Adams and Daniel Webster came through that door right now, they would say, Mr. President, job well done.'"

Also on hand was David Perini, commission of the state's Division of Capital Asset Management, who thanked all those involved with the planning of the new center.

Nearly stealing the show was Megan Dobro, '06, who majored in biology at BSC and is now working on her PhD at Caltech. She listed her BSC professors for special thanks, and singled out two, Drs. Jeff Bowen and Merideth Krevosky, as keeping her from "dropping out of school and running off to join the circus.

The new building will allow great math and science faculty members to do even more.

"This building will provide not only more opportunities but confidence," in tomorrow's BSC math and science grads, she said.

The unenviable job of following Ms. Dobro to the podium fell to the governor, who said the investment in the new Math and Science Center was "an investment in ourselves, in the future, and in Megans."

President Mohler-Faria seemed to agree, citing Ms. Dobro as a shining example of the best that BSC has produced.

The center is expected to be completed by 2012. (Story by John Winters, photos by John Winters and Karen Callan)

(Left to right) Dr. Anthony Cicerone, director of BSC's Canadian Studies Program; Sen. Oliver; and Edward Minnock, vice president of external affairs

Distinguished Canadian Address Held (Multimedia)

Posted on October 31, 2009 - Permalink
Audiences: Alumni Current Students Faculty and Staff HomePage Prospective Students Research Trustees

Nova Scotia Sen. Donald H. Oliver delivered the 11th Distinguished Canadian Annual Address on Thursday in the Moakley Center Auditorium. His talk was titled, "Diversity and the Digital Divide: The Challenge for Universities."

"I want to challenge you," he said in his opening remarks. "I want you to consider how the world and its peoples are changing with technological innovation and emerging democratic trends. I hope to give you a fresh perspective on the dynamic interplay between these two forces, and I want you to come way with a fuller appreciation of the role you must play in shaping our world and influencing the people who live on it."

Throughout his address, Sen. Oliver talked about diversity and technology's impact on society, saying it is "more profound than we can imagine."

The address was presented by the Canadian Studies Program with support from the Government of Canada, with additional sponsorship by Good Leads®. (Story by John Winters, Office of Institutional Communications)

The senator's full address (video by the Moakley TV Studio)

Dr. Harm de Blij (left) with two geography students

Renowned Geographer Delivers Class of '42 Lecture

Posted on October 31, 2009 - Permalink
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Dr. Harm de Blij, professor of geography at Michigan State University, delivered his speech, "The Power of Place: Geographic Literacy and National Security," last Wednesday as the Class of '42 Lecture.

Delivered to a capacity crowd in the Moakley Center auditorium, Dr. de Blij's lecture centered on how the places where people live can determine their futures. The talk also illuminated the continuing inequality across the globe between the privileged and poor.

The annual lecture event, initiated by Bridgewater's 1942 graduates, allows the science and math departments to bring a different lecturer to campus each year. This year was the geography department's turn.

Dr. Robert Hellström, chair of the geography department, introduced Dr. de Blij and spoke about the geographer's impact on campus and beyond.

"Dr. Harm de Blij represents the great analytic strength of geography," he said, "and his presence here tonight enhances the work that our department is doing to emphasize how important geography is as we tackle problems at both the local and international levels."

Dr. de Blij was the geography editor on ABC's Good Morning America for seven years. In 1996 he joined NBC News as a geography analyst. He was writer of and commentator for the PBS series, The Power of Place, and has published more than 30 books, including scientific, educational and trade titles, and more than 100 articles. His advocacy of geography in the media and on the public lecture circuit has taken him all over the world.

In addition to the lecture, the Chester and Theresa Smolski Geography Scholarship was introduced to honor Chester Smolski, '51, who was a geography professor in Rhode Island. (Submitted)

Killam Professor Featured in 'Boston Globe'

Posted on October 30, 2009 - Permalink
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Read all about it from Friday's Boston Globe.

Click here.

Rendering of the Math and Science Center

President Discusses New Math and Science Center (Multimedia)

Posted on October 29, 2009 - Permalink
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Ground was broken Friday on the new Math and Science Center. President Mohler-Faria discusses the expected impact of the new facility in two interviews below. Also, click here for a related story in The Brockton Enterprise.

(Video by the Moakley TV Studio, Interview by John Winters, Office of Institutional Communications)


Radio interview: President Mohler-Faria on WATD-AM, earlier today.

Louis Ricciardi (far left) with the other expert panelists

Talking Business Planning at CES Event

Posted on October 28, 2009 - Permalink
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Students got a close look at what it takes to start a company when the co-owners of the Boston-based designer apparel company, ECC Life and Style, delivered a presentation on business planning last Thursday in the campus center's small ballroom. The event was hosted by the Center for Entrepreneur Studies.

The company's CEO, Shawn Harris, and Chief Designer, Jeff Lahens, talked about how they started their company, and introduced a business plan they recently developed. They then had their plan critiqued by a panel of industry experts. The event's aim was to show students how to put together an effective business plan.

The expert panelists were: Anthony Sapienza, president, Joseph Abboud Manufacturing Corp.; Alan Buff, senior sales & marketing manager, Growth Partners, LLC; and Thomas Wooters, vice president & investment advisor, SEED Venture.

The panel moderator was Louis Ricciardi, '81, chair of the BSC Board of Trustees and member of the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education. He said discussing the story of the ECC co-owners would help illuminate issues related to starting and owning a business.

"We want to talk about the moment they said 'we want to start our own company' and the challenges they face right now," he said.

The panel discussion seemed to help prospective entrepreneurs.

"These presentations are really helpful to students and really interesting. If I go into business by myself, after I graduate, I will feel better prepared" said student Ben Penno. (Story and photos by Shawn Mullins, Institutional Communications)

For more information on ECC Life and Style click here.