Bridgewater State College / City of New Bedford Partnership

Bridgewater State College and the City of New Bedford have much to celebrate. In the last two years alone, the two have forged partnerships that reverberate throughout the region's educational system. Elementary and high school students interact with college students and faculty in a multitude of educational programs that enhance the intellectual, cultural and social life of students of all ages and, as a result, enrich community life.

The programs and events highlighted herein attest to the determination of organizers working in an atmosphere of collegial good will. To successfully accomplish these innovative - and sometimes complex - programming initiatives requires not only hard work and determination, but also an atmosphere of cooperation among regional leaders, administrators and educators in the New Bedford school system, and the college community.

Dr. Edward Minnock, vice president of the Division of External Affairs, sums up the cumulative efforts, "By helping to put people and organizations together, the college facilitates exciting results that are far greater than the sum of individual capabilities."

 

BSC Educational Initiatives

April 2008 -President Mohler-Faria and Mayor Scott Lang signed an agreement for BSC flight training to be hosted at the New Bedford Regional Airport. This five-year lease will allow for renovations to take place in the Plumbers Building where aircraft and instructors will be housed

 

June 2009 -Dr. Englander participated in the I-Safe I-Shield conference hosted by New Bedford Public Schools

 

October 2009 -New Bedford native and Plan USA staff, Eric Pope, presented "The Importance of Global Civic Engagement" to LINKS Mentoring and Retention Program first-year students and LINKS student mentors

 

October 2009 -Darcy Fernandes, principal of the Roosevelt Middle School, participated on a panel discussion with the Future Teachers (MTA) Organization in cooperation with the International Exchange program

 

October 2009 -New Bedford Public Schools teachers attended Cyberbullying Train-the-Trainer (MARC)

 

November 2009 - Sister City Project: BSC hosted the Sister City Forum and provided the Technology to have interactions with San Filipe and Santa Cruz public schools

 

Bridgewater State College places on average 10 student teachers in the New Bedford Public Schools each year

 

Undergraduate Admissions: an average of 25 graduates of New Bedford High School are admitted to the freshman class each fall at BSC

 

Professional development graduate courses: New Bedford teachers participate in graduate level courses on site in New Bedford including: Differentiating Instruction, Mentoring and Literacy

 

Community Engagement

May 2009 - BSC co-sponsored a forum on global education initiatives with community members from New Bedford hosted by Adelcia Pires the first lady of Cape Verde at the New Bedford Whaling Museum

 

October 2008 - LINKS Mentoring and Retention Program of the Center for Multicultural Affairs Annual Retreat was held in New Bedford. Twenty first-year students (4 students are New Bedford residents) of color participated in a two-hour walking tour of New Bedford's Underground Railroad. The tour was sponsored by a guide from New Bedford's Historical Society

 

October 2008 - CMA partnered with New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park to host an afternoon of discussions and activities to offer a deeper understanding of the historical contributions the city of New Bedford made to the abolishment to slavery

 

Oct 2009- New Bedford officials attend BSC's ground breaking ceremony for the Science Center

 

BSC's Community Service Center sends volunteers to support the Veteran's Transition House in New Bedford

 

January 2010- BSC students through the Community Service Center will be volunteering at Gifts to Give, in New Bedford

 

October 2009 - Professor Deborah Nemko performed a solo piano recital in New Bedford as part of the "Arts Alive Series"

 

BSC / High School Collaborations

January 2009 - Fulbright Scholar from Yemen, Dr. Al Sharki, presented a slide show and lecture on the Middle East to New Bedford High School students and Roosevelt Middle School Students

 

February 2009 - BSC's Student Government Association sponsored "An Evening with Herman Boone: Remember the Titians." The Center for Multicultural Affairs invited 20 students and 4 staff from The Greater New Bedford Boys and Girls Club to the lecture. The Boys and Girls Club members are comprised of also middle school students in New Bedford Public Schools.

 

February 2009- More than 70 members of New Bedford High School football team attended the event Herman Boone lecture. The students were taken on a tour of the BSC campus prior to the lecture

 

March 2009- New Bedford Public Schools Parenting Teens sends students to the MARC Youth Summit at BSC

 

April 2009- New Bedford Public Schools Parenting Teens representatives attend the Self Injurious & Suicidal Behavior Conference

 

May 2009- Bridgewater State College and New Bedford Public Schools hereby sign an Agreement for the purpose of providing the public school students enrolled in the New Bedford School system an opportunity to experience aviation flight training, and to promote academic collaboration. New Bedford will accept, on a temporary basis, two flight simulators to be placed in the New Bedford Public Schools.

 

May 2009 -BSC hosted New Bedford students at CV Prime Minister's lecture on the future of CV BSC provided students with a slide show with traditional Cape Verdean music prior to the presentation. A buffet luncheon was served to over 300 students including those from Roosevelt Middle School along with faculty and senior administrators

 

Summer 2009 - BSC sponsored ACE camp for New Bedford students in cooperation with BSC aviation program and the New Bedford Airport

 

September 2009 - Jimmy Owens, head of the Guidance Department at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School provided mentor training for the Center of Multicultural Affairs LINKS Mentors. Mr. Owens has provided mentoring training for BSC students for 8 years. Mr. Owens a Licensed Clinical Social Worker is a highly respected expert in the field of successfully mentoring under-served students.

 

October 2009 -BSC provides NBPS with Undergraduate Interns (CV exchange students) to assist with NBPS After School Programs for the fall term 2009, from October 1, 2009 to December 11, 2009. These interns will assist with instruction in ESL and tutoring in small groups with teachers and students at the Roosevelt Middle School

 

2008- Students from the Nativity Preparatory School in New Bedford attended the MLK Day of Service at BSC

 

Awards and Recognitions

October 2009- BSC is awarded a Commonwealth Alliance for Information Technology Education

 

(CAITE) grant to support New Bedford Public School students with access to technology

 

October 2009 - New Bedford school personal attend recognition presentation and luncheon honoring CV consul general, Maria Mascarenhas

Last Modified: January 6, 2010