My time at Bridgewater was really about finding my voice and the understanding of where I wanted to be as a professional. Education was important but so were the relationships I built.
With the COVID-19 pandemic raging, Charlene Bonenfant, '91, G'09, stepped into a challenging role in Taunton city government. As director of the Department of Human Services, she led emergency assistance programs and connected residents with community resources.
To meet these extensive needs, Bonenfant relied on skills she developed as a Bridgewater State University social work student.
"The ability to navigate COVID, the ability to develop programming and assess those programs is 100 percent a direct result of the education at BSU that I will be forever grateful for," she said. "I wouldn’t be doing what I am doing today if the social work department wasn't so dedicated to their students."
Bonenfant and fellow BSU alum Marc Dunderdale, '06, oversee a department that runs the Council on Aging, emergency and fuel assistance programs, case management services, and other initiatives.
Their accomplishments include building a strong partnership with the city's public housing complexes and launching an EMS program that reduces emergency room visits. Through the program, Brewster Ambulance staff visit senior citizens at home to provide free, noninvasive care, including support for patients who were recently discharged from the hospital.
Dunderdale, who serves as assistant director and earned a bachelor's degree in communications from BSU, works one-on-one with clients whose electricity has been shut off, who can't afford heating oil, or who are facing a multitude of other crises.
"It's about listening," he said, citing a skill from his BSU education that he uses every day. "It's the practice of not interrupting and truly just sitting back and listening quietly with full attention."
Dunderdale transferred to Bridgewater from Bristol Community College. He attended classes while working at the Boys & Girls Club of Taunton and caring for his young children. Even as a busy student, he found time to give back by helping organize BSU's annual Relay for Life event.
"My time at Bridgewater was really about finding my voice and the understanding of where I wanted to be as a professional," he said. "Education was important but so were the relationships I built."
Bonenfant credits BSU with providing a solid foundation in grant writing, program development and budget management. As a graduate student, she learned to be culturally sensitive and appreciate every client's unique background, perspective and needs.
"Before, I had approached everyone the same across the board," she said. "It broadened my horizons. The social work department was so compassionate and assured me I was going to be successful."
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