His Excellency Le Cong Phung

Vietnam Ambassador to U.S. Delivers Lecture

Posted on November 6, 2009 - Permalink
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His Excellency Le Cong Phung, the Vietnam ambassador to the U.S., was on campus Monday discussing the growing diplomatic ties between his country and the U.S. and how both countries are benefiting.

The ambassador's talk, "Vietnam - U.S. Relations and Vietnamese Education," was delivered to more than 50 faculty, staff and students in the Dunn Conference Suite. In it, he discussed the past animosity between the U.S. and Vietnam - illuminated by the Vietnam War - and how the two countries have recently worked together to overcome their differences.

"We suffered great misunderstandings," he said, "but we decided to get over the past and look at the present and into the future. We were once enemies but are now allies."

Ambassador Cong Phung said the two countries began developing a strong relationship in 1995, when former President Bill Clinton announced the formal normalization of diplomatic relations with Vietnam. Diplomatic ties between the two countries have been growing since, and the ambassador discussed some of the benefits, such as increased trade between the two countries and greater stability in Vietnam.

The event was sponsored by The Division of External Affairs. (Story and photo by Rob Matheson, Institutional Communications)

Sounds of China (Multimedia)

Posted on November 6, 2009 - Permalink
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Thursday, Oct. 29, the Horace Mann Auditorium was home to a Chinese music concert celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Asian Studies program. The event featured faculty musicians, as well as Dr. Chi Cheung Leung, Lin Shao, and Byran Lai, from the Hong Kong Institute of Education.

BSC students also performed, including the Chamber Singers. Also wowing the audience was 9-year-old Hannah To.

BSC history Professor Wing-Kai To, director of the Asian Studies Program, hosted the evening.

The music featured a mix of traditional Chinese pieces, representing different regions of the country. The concert also premiered two compositions by Dr. Leung, one of which was selected to be performed last year at the National Center for Performing Arts in Beijing.

"This was the first time I have ever heard Chinese music. It was very beautiful and the performers were incredible," said BSC student Caitlyn Cashman. (Story and photos by Shawn Mullins, '10, Office of Institutional Communications)

Performance: "Sights of Mountain Village," performed by Lin Shao on erhu (two-string fiddle) and Bryan Lai on yangqin (hammered dulcimer).

Students from BSC and BHS participated in Halloween for Hunger

Trick-or-Treating for a Good Cause

Posted on November 6, 2009 - Permalink
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On the night before Halloween, BSC and Brockton High School students visited houses all over town. Instead of asking for candy, however, they asked for goods to donate to charity as part of an annual event started by a BSC professor.

Halloween for Hunger, now an international program, was founded by BSC's Dr. Jonathan White, associate professor of sociology, back when he was in college. Participants of the charity drive included members of FAM for Change, the college's mentoring program with Brockton High School, along with BSC students.

The trick or treaters gathered around 1,300 canned goods, nonperishable foods and personal-care items from local houses. All these products were donated to a shelter in Brockton.

Also in tow was Kenny Monteiro, FAM for Change's program manager, representing the college's Office of College and Community Partnerships.

Apart from supporting a good cause, the event was beneficial to the participants in other ways.

FAM for Change mentor Dan Kent, a senior, said, "We are setting an example for the mentees and helping our community at the same time. These kids just need to know that they can have the same opportunities as everyone else if they work for them; we can help them understand that." (Story by Shawn Mullins; photo by John Winters, both Institutional Communications)

Math and Science Center Groundbreaking: The Speeches (Multimedia)

Posted on November 4, 2009 - Permalink
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Speakers from the Oct. 30 groundbreaking ceremony are presented below, in order of appearance. (Videos by the Moakley TV Studio)


Dr. Dana Mohler-Faria, BSC President

Louis Ricciardi, '81, Chairman, BSC Board of Trustees

David Perini, Commissioner, Division of Capital Asset Management

David Flynn, '58, State Representative

Marc Pacheco, State Senator

Megan Dobro, '06, PhD Candidate, Caltech

Deval Patrick, Governor of Massachusetts

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)

From Christ Kelly's exhibit, "Passages"

Unique Ceramic Sculptures Come to Anderson Gallery

Posted on November 3, 2009 - Permalink
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"Passages," an exhibition of ceramic sculptures by Chris Kelly, will be on display at Bridgewater State College's Anderson Gallery through Nov. 27.

"Passages" is an exhibition of sculptures that explores the effects of time. Mr. Kelly is influenced by European still life vanitas (symbolic still life), and paintings that utilize memento mori. Memento mori is a genre of art in which the artist's purpose is to remind the viewer of his or her own mortality. Some examples of memento mori symbolism includes a freshly extinguished candle, fallen flower petals, a stopped clock or decomposing fruit.

Mr. Kelly "carves" his ceramic sculptures to resemble wood and fruit in various states of decay. When he is not creating these ceramic masterpieces, Chris Kelly is chairman and assistant professor of the Art Department at Piedmont College in Georgia.

A reception will be held for the artist Monday, Nov. 16, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Anderson Gallery.

The gallery is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and by appointment by calling 508-531-2766. Admission is always free. (Anna Glowacki, '10)

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)