As BSU’s president from 2002 to 2015, Dr. Dana Mohler-Faria oversaw the growth of Bridgewater State in numerous ways, including its facilities.
One building constructed during his tenure created a new home for math and science departments and appropriately pays tribute to Mohler-Faria.
Named For
President Dana Mohler-Faria
The Backstory
A native of southeastern Massachusetts, Mohler-Faria was Bridgewater State's 11th president. He assumed the presidency with almost 30 years of administrative experience in Massachusetts public higher education, including service as vice president for administration and finance at Bridgewater State.
As president, he spearheaded the establishment of the CONNECT partnership that continues to link public higher education institutions in southeastern Massachusetts. He also helped Bridgewater become a university, expand its international initiatives and launch academic enrichment and social support programs for at-risk youth.
Mohler-Faria, who was the first person of color to lead Bridgewater State, oversaw growth in enrollment and faculty and the establishment of satellite campuses around the region. Additionally, BSU opened new buildings during his tenure, including a science and mathematics center that became BSU’s first LEED-certified academic building (a measure of environmental sustainability).
The building, which opened in 2012 and now bears Mohler-Faria's name, expanded upon the original science center that was built in 1964 when enrollment was significantly lower. The new facility, comprised of 168,300 square feet of new space and 43,000 square feet of renovated space, united the sciences and math under one roof while providing opportunities for experiential learning, undergraduate research and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Use Today
Widely known on campus by the abbreviation DMF, this building on Park Avenue is the home to the Bartlett College of Science and Mathematics. It is filled with state-of-the-art laboratories, modern classrooms, study areas, a makerspace, a cyber range and an observatory.
Material in this article comes Mohler-Faria's official biography and “Elegance on a Budget” by the architectural firm Payette.