Faculty Focus / en International Recognition for 911±ŹÁÏ State Physics Professor /stories/2026/international-recognition-bridgewater-state-physics-professor <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">International Recognition for 911±ŹÁÏ State Physics Professor </span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span lang about="/users/bbensonbridgewedu" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype>BBENSON@bridgew.edu</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2026-10-22T09:48:56-04:00" title="Thursday, October 22, 2026 - 09:48" class="datetime">Thu, 10/22/2026 - 09:48</time> </span> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-short-description-v2 field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>Dr. Thaya Paramanathan to receive 2027 Excellence in Undergraduate Education Award from Biophysical Society</p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <time datetime="2026-10-22T12:00:00Z" class="datetime">October 22, 2026</time> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Brian Benson, G'23 </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>Inside Dr. <strong>Thaya Paramanathan</strong>’s laboratory, you’ll find advanced scientific instruments alongside something much more personal. The lab’s walls feature stars for each graduate and pennants highlighting where they have gone on to graduate school.</p><p>The decorations paint an impressive record of accomplishment: 17 students are pursuing or have earned PhDs. Alumni have studied at Yale University, the University of Pennsylvania, UCLA and the University of North Carolina, among others.</p><p>“Our students are really hard working,” said Dr. Thaya, a professor of <a href="/department/physics-photonics-optical-engineering">physics, photonics and optical engineering</a>. “They need someone to believe in them and support them. That’s what I do.”</p><p>Dr. Thaya’s efforts recently led to international recognition from the Biophysical Society. In February, he will receive the 2027 Excellence in Undergraduate Education Award during the society’s 71st Annual Meeting in Philadelphia. The award celebrates distinction in academic research and undergraduate mentoring.</p><p>“It’s an honor, a great honor,” he said, adding it is surreal to see his name next to some of the world’s leading biophysicists. “These are all people I have looked up to.”</p><p>Dr. Thaya, who is in his 12th year teaching at BSU, started the university’s Single Molecule Biophysics Lab. The laboratory includes dual-beam optical tweezers (which were built entirely by undergraduates) that enable researchers to study how prospective and current cancer drugs interact with single molecules of DNA.</p><p>“Thaya has shown his commitment and dedication to educating and mentoring future generations of biophysicists throughout his career,” said Biophysical Society President Karen Fleming of Johns Hopkins University. “This dedication to research and to the future generations of biophysicists embodies the very spirit and purpose of this prestigious award.”</p><p>His students can’t think of anyone more deserving.</p><p>“Dr. Thaya is the kind of person who is an educator and a mentor for life,” said <strong>HelĂ©na Beeloo</strong>, ’24, who is pursuing a PhD in physics at Yale University and aspires to become a professor. “He pushed me to pursue my goals. I know if I ever have a problem or question, I can always reach out to him.”</p><p>Dr. Thaya thanked everyone at BSU for their support. The university, he said, feels like a family. He is also deeply appreciative of all the students who have joined his lab.</p><p>“This is dedicated to my students,” he said. “Without their performance and what they have done in their lives, I wouldn’t be recognized.”&nbsp;</p><p><em>Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email </em><a href="mailto:stories@bridgew.edu"><em>stories@bridgew.edu</em></a><em>.</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-hide-featured field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> No </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div class="ckeditor-media-class"> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image-9 field--type-image field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <picture> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/thaya.webp 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/thaya.webp 705w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" width="705" height="396"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/thaya.jpg 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/thaya.jpg 705w" type="image/jpeg" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" width="705" height="396"> <img loading="lazy" srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/thaya.jpg 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/thaya.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/thaya.jpg" alt="A professor in a white lab coat works at a table filled with optical equipment."> </picture> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-testimonial field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <section class="paragraph paragraph--type--testimonial paragraph---id--328376 scroll-reveal box1 paragraph--view-mode--default" aria-label="testimonial content id-328376"> <div class="media-wrapper"> <div class="media"> <div class="media-body"> <blockquote> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>Dr. Thaya is the kind of person who is an educator and a mentor for life. He pushed me to pursue my goals. I know if I ever have a problem or question, I can always reach out to him.</p> </div> </div> </blockquote> <div class="field field--name-field-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> HelĂ©na Beeloo, ’24 </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-inline field__items"> <div class="field__label">Tags</div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/2789" aria-label="Related stories tagged Faculty Focus" hreflang="en">Faculty Focus</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> Thu, 22 Oct 2026 13:48:56 +0000 BBENSON@bridgew.edu 7749151 at BSU Professor Named Counselor Educator of the Year /stories/2026/bsu-professor-named-counselor-educator-year <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">BSU Professor Named Counselor Educator of the Year</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span lang about="/users/bbensonbridgewedu" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype>BBENSON@bridgew.edu</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2026-10-15T09:31:28-04:00" title="Thursday, October 15, 2026 - 09:31" class="datetime">Thu, 10/15/2026 - 09:31</time> </span> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-short-description-v2 field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>Dr. M. Nikki Freeburg is second faculty member to receive the award recently</p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <time datetime="2026-10-15T12:00:00Z" class="datetime">October 15, 2026</time> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Brian Benson, G'23 </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>For the second time in recent years, Massachusetts’ top counselor educator is a 911±ŹÁÏ professor.</p><p>Dr. <strong>M. Nikki Freeburg</strong> received the 2026 award from the Massachusetts Mental Health Counselors Association, just three years after now-emerita Professor <strong>Christy Lyons Graham</strong> earned the same honor.</p><p>“It was a total surprise to me,” Freeburg said. “They’re the gold standard in the state and to have them acknowledge me is beyond an honor.”</p><p>Freeburg was nominated by Dr. <strong>Amanda Barudin-Carreiro</strong>, the associate director of fieldwork and lab manager in the <a href="/department/counselor-education" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="973d9ffe-db90-440f-ba9d-fb4999d4c612" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Counselor Education">Department of Counselor Education</a>. The award recognizes academic professionals’ outstanding service to graduate students.</p><p>Freeburg’s accomplishments include helping organize an annual academic conference whose reach extended beyond BSU, as well as efforts to study artificial intelligence use in mental health education, said Dr. <strong>Marci Swede</strong>, dean of the College of Education and Health Professions.</p><p>“We are extraordinarily proud of the impact Dr. Freeburg has in the mental health counseling profession as an educator, scholar and clinician,” she said.</p><p>Freeburg hopes her students walk away with the skills to treat their clients’ emotional and mental health needs, as well as an understanding of how to achieve a work-life balance.</p><p>“When you’re taking care of other people, you get lost in the fold,” she said. “Yes, care for others, but take care of yourself first.”</p><p>BSU’s success with this award reflects the high caliber of the counselor education faculty, as well as the university-wide culture of excellence and focus on student support, she said.</p><p>“That means you get to teach students at a higher capacity than a lot of other places,” she said, citing a lab where students simulate counseling sessions as one difference maker. “We’re given these great resources that we can then channel into our students.”</p><p><em>Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email </em><a href="mailto:stories@bridgew.edu"><em>stories@bridgew.edu</em></a><em>.</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-hide-featured field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> No </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div class="ckeditor-media-class"> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image-9 field--type-image field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <picture> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/freeburg.webp 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/freeburg.webp 705w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" width="705" height="396"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/freeburg.jpg 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/freeburg.jpg 705w" type="image/jpeg" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" width="705" height="396"> <img loading="lazy" srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/freeburg.jpg 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/freeburg.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/freeburg.jpg" alt="M. Nikki Freeburg receives an award from two presenters."> </picture> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-testimonial field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <section class="paragraph paragraph--type--testimonial paragraph---id--328296 scroll-reveal box1 paragraph--view-mode--default" aria-label="testimonial content id-328296"> <div class="media-wrapper"> <div class="media"> <div class="media-body"> <blockquote> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>It was a total surprise to me. They’re the gold standard in the state and to have them acknowledge me is beyond an honor.</p> </div> </div> </blockquote> <div class="field field--name-field-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Dr. M. Nikki Freeburg </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subtext field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Counselor education professor </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-inline field__items"> <div class="field__label">Tags</div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/2789" aria-label="Related stories tagged Faculty Focus" hreflang="en">Faculty Focus</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> Thu, 15 Oct 2026 13:31:28 +0000 BBENSON@bridgew.edu 7513431 at BSU Professor Has Unique Opportunity to Examine 16th Century Grammar Book /stories/2026/bsu-professor-has-unique-opportunity-examine-16th-century-grammar-book <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">BSU Professor Has Unique Opportunity to Examine 16th Century Grammar Book</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span lang about="/users/bbensonbridgewedu" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype>BBENSON@bridgew.edu</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2026-09-28T10:44:05-04:00" title="Monday, September 28, 2026 - 10:44" class="datetime">Mon, 09/28/2026 - 10:44</time> </span> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-short-description-v2 field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>Dr. Fernanda Ferreira studies development of the Portuguese language</p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <time datetime="2026-09-29T12:00:00Z" class="datetime">September 29, 2026</time> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Brian Benson, G'23 </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>On a visit to Portugal's national library, Dr. <strong>Fernanda Ferreira</strong> found herself awestruck. She was turning the worn pages of a book that shaped the Portuguese language she studies and teaches.</p><p>Ferreira, who is a professor of <a href="/department/global-languages-and-literatures" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="bb4c57b2-ab8f-4235-a751-91ccec57be7d" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Global Languages &amp; Literatures">global languages and literatures</a> at 911±ŹÁÏ, browsed the first Portuguese grammar book, <em>Grammatica da lingoagem portuguesa</em>, published by FernĂŁo de Oliveira in 1536.</p><p>"There's a different energy to it when you're able to touch those pages and flip those pages," she said. "There's a certain reverence about it. It was definitely a dream come true and something not many scholars are able to do."</p><p>Ferreira viewed the book as part of the Luso-American Development Foundation's Short-Term Research Fellowship, which supports researchers’ visits to Portugal to access resources needed for their projects. She was one of 20 scholars selected for the 2026 fellowship from universities across the U.S., including Brown, Rice and Columbia.</p><p>"911±ŹÁÏ was in good company," she said. "I felt really proud of being 911±ŹÁÏ's representative."</p><p>Ferreira is studying how the Portuguese language was established and how its grammar defines what is considered correct. She handled several early grammar books, which were especially important for creating a framework for the language. While they are digitized and available through microfiche, viewing the physical books allowed her to analyze their condition, weight and watermarks.</p> <div class="align-right ckeditor-media-class"> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="blazy blazy--field blazy--field-media-image blazy--field-media-image--image-280w field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden c-portrait-image field__items" data-blazy> <div class="field__item"> <div data-b-token="b-41587caa454" class="media media--blazy media--image is-b-loading"><img alt="Fernanda Ferreira holds an old grammar book." decoding="async" class="media__element b-lazy" loading="lazy" data-src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/280w/public/media/images/fernanda1.jpg" src="/sites/bridgew/files/media/images/image-loading.gif"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p>She was especially interested in how early Portuguese grammarians viewed the many regional dialects. Many of her BSU students speak an Azorean form of Portuguese and often feel that their dialect is inferior.</p><p>"The surprise for me was there wasn't anything in the grammars that I studied that stated Azorean Portuguese was bad," she said. "To the contrary, they indicated that there was a richness in these varieties.”</p><p>Instead, grammarians of the late 1500s focused on establishing Portuguese as a superior language and the country as an independent nation separate from Spain.</p><p>The project helps shape how Ferreira discusses the language with her students.</p><p>"I plan to say that Azorean Portuguese is Portuguese," she said. "There's a strong link between how Portuguese grammar was established and the different dialects of Portuguese. You should be really proud of this language."</p><p><em>Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email </em><a href="mailto:stories@bridgew.edu"><em>stories@bridgew.edu</em></a><em>.</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-hide-featured field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> No </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div class="ckeditor-media-class"> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image-9 field--type-image field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <picture> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/fernanda.webp 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/fernanda.webp 640w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" width="640" height="360"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/fernanda.jpg 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/fernanda.jpg 640w" type="image/jpeg" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" width="640" height="360"> <img loading="lazy" srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/fernanda.jpg 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/fernanda.jpg 640w" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/fernanda.jpg" alt="Fernanda Ferreira stands in a large library room."> </picture> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-testimonial field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <section class="paragraph paragraph--type--testimonial paragraph---id--328171 scroll-reveal box1 paragraph--view-mode--default" aria-label="testimonial content id-328171"> <div class="media-wrapper"> <div class="media"> <div class="media-body"> <blockquote> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>There's a different energy to it when you're able to touch those pages and flip those pages. There's a certain reverence about it. It was definitely a dream come true and something not many scholars are able to do.</p> </div> </div> </blockquote> <div class="field field--name-field-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Dr. Fernanda Ferreira </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subtext field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Professor of global languages and literatures </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-inline field__items"> <div class="field__label">Tags</div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/2789" aria-label="Related stories tagged Faculty Focus" hreflang="en">Faculty Focus</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> Mon, 28 Sep 2026 14:44:05 +0000 BBENSON@bridgew.edu 7071261 at From Salad Bowl to Physics Lesson /stories/2026/salad-bowl-physics-lesson <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">From Salad Bowl to Physics Lesson</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span lang about="/users/bbensonbridgewedu" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype>BBENSON@bridgew.edu</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2026-06-09T10:31:33-04:00" title="Tuesday, June 9, 2026 - 10:31" class="datetime">Tue, 06/09/2026 - 10:31</time> </span> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-short-description-v2 field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>911±ŹÁÏ instructor grows special cucumber to illustrate lesson</p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <time datetime="2026-06-10T12:00:00Z" class="datetime">June 10, 2026</time> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Brian Benson, G'23 </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>Most people view cucumbers as an ingredient on their salad. <strong>Paul Fredette</strong> sees cukes as a tool for teaching physics.</p><p>Determined to bring real-world examples into the classroom, Fredette grew a special variety called the “squirting cucumber” in partnership with BSU’s Greenhouse. The plant, which is inedible, launches its seeds more than 30 feet at a velocity of around 45 miles per hour.</p><p>“I just happened to see an article, and it turned into a direct connection to a lesson plan on projectile motion [for an introductory <a href="/department/physics-photonics-optical-engineering" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="fdd356b3-bdc4-4483-b100-b427ceeace14" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Physics, Photonics and Optical Engineering">physics</a> class],” said Fredette, who brought his students to the Greenhouse to see the plant. “I try to relate the material, not just teach it.”</p><p>Fredette became a part-time instructor after retiring from a long career in telecommunications. He served as an engineer in the Navy before leading startup companies that made modems and developed video conferencing technology.</p><p>Now, he is thrilled to be teaching physics, electronics, computer networking, and math classes at 911±ŹÁÏ. His students appreciate his unique instructional approach and infectious positivity.</p><p>“He’s got a contagious laugh, and he’s a very optimistic guy, and that makes me feel really good,” said aviation science (flight and management concentration) major <strong>Charlie Gruetzner</strong>, ’27, who took the introductory physics class with Fredette. “He gives me the confidence because he teaches; he doesn't really critique.”</p><p>Growing the cucumber was a first for Greenhouse manager <strong>Emma Welch</strong>, who encourages professors from across the university to incorporate the facility into their classes.</p><p>“Any class can utilize the Greenhouse, either to inspire students or directly support what the students are learning,” she said.</p><p>That willingness to collaborate is emblematic of what Fredette sees across BSU.</p><p>“There is a remarkable vibe around 911±ŹÁÏ State,” he said. “It’s a credit to the whole organization that we do, in fact, connect with each other.”</p><p>Before the Greenhouse visit, students gathered in a nearby outdoor classroom as Fredette explained how the cucumber releases its seeds at the ideal 45-degree angle to maximize distance. On another day, he used a miniature trebuchet – a medieval siege weapon that used a counterweight and swinging arm to hurl heavy projectiles at long range – to launch objects across a classroom.</p><p>These demonstrations left a lasting impression on <strong>Victoria Hunt</strong>, ’28, an aviation science major (flight concentration).</p><p>“Hands-on learning has always been a great way for me to understand concepts,” Victoria said. “Seeing how it’s applied in the real world is great because everyone asks that question ‘Why does it matter?’ Well, because it's all around you.”</p><p><em>Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email </em><a href="mailto:stories@bridgew.edu"><em>stories@bridgew.edu</em></a><em>.</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-hide-featured field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> No </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div class="ckeditor-media-class"> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image-9 field--type-image field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <picture> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/cucumber.webp 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/cucumber.webp 705w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" width="705" height="396"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/cucumber.jpg 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/cucumber.jpg 705w" type="image/jpeg" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" width="705" height="396"> <img loading="lazy" srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/cucumber.jpg 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/cucumber.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/cucumber.jpg" alt="A professor and students gather around a cucumber plant in a greenhouse."> </picture> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-testimonial field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <section class="paragraph paragraph--type--testimonial paragraph---id--327061 scroll-reveal box1 paragraph--view-mode--default" aria-label="testimonial content id-327061"> <div class="media-wrapper"> <div class="media"> <div class="media-body"> <blockquote> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>Hands-on learning has always been a great way for me to understand concepts. Seeing how it’s applied in the real world is great because everyone asks that question ‘Why does it matter?’ Well, because it's all around you.</p> </div> </div> </blockquote> <div class="field field--name-field-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Victoria Hunt, ’28 </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-inline field__items"> <div class="field__label">Tags</div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/2789" aria-label="Related stories tagged Faculty Focus" hreflang="en">Faculty Focus</a> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-credit field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Photo by Jane Sitek Shaver, '28 </div> </div> </div> </div> Tue, 09 Jun 2026 14:31:33 +0000 BBENSON@bridgew.edu 5156866 at Professor Honors Pioneering African American Poet /stories/2026/professor-honors-pioneering-african-american-poet <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Professor Honors Pioneering African American Poet</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span lang about="/users/bbensonbridgewedu" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype>BBENSON@bridgew.edu</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2026-03-12T09:09:53-04:00" title="Thursday, March 12, 2026 - 09:09" class="datetime">Thu, 03/12/2026 - 09:09</time> </span> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-short-description-v2 field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>Dr. Emily Field was a featured speaker at unveiling of new Black Heritage stamp</p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <time datetime="2026-03-12T12:00:00Z" class="datetime">March 12, 2026</time> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Brian Benson, G’23 </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>A stamp can be viewed as a soon-forgotten transactional item. But Dr. <strong>Emily Field</strong> hopes the U.S. Postal Service’s new Phillis Wheatley stamp sparks people’s curiosity.</p><p>The stamp, which is part of the USPS’s Black Heritage series, honors the first published African American author.</p><p>During the stamp unveiling, Field spoke to an audience gathered at the Old South Meeting House in Boston, the place where Wheatley was baptized and attended church services.</p><p>“I was honored to be part of an event for an author who I admire and have been really interested to study,” said Field, a BSU <a href="/department/english" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="93e1c8c5-d767-4682-8573-efc57c53a93f" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="English">English</a> and African American studies professor. “I think she has so much to teach us.”</p><p>The study of African American history and literature, she added, “is deeply enriching and ennobling to everybody.”</p><p>Field said she started researching Wheatley because her story is so compelling for BSU students. Born in West Africa and brought to Boston on a slave ship, Wheatley became a renowned colonial-era poet. As leaders such as Samuel Adams decried Great Britain’s heavy-handed rule that made colonists metaphorical slaves, Wheatley drew attention to the actual slaves living in the colonies. She published her poetry in 1773, the same year that she was freed from slavery.</p> <div class="align-right ckeditor-media-class"> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="blazy blazy--field blazy--field-media-image blazy--field-media-image--image-280w field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden c-portrait-image field__items" data-blazy> <div class="field__item"> <div data-b-token="b-14754225f2b" class="media media--blazy media--image is-b-loading"><img alt="Emily Field stands next to a picture of the Phillis Wheatley stamp." decoding="async" class="media__element b-lazy" loading="lazy" data-src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/280w/public/media/images/wheatley1.jpg" src="/sites/bridgew/files/media/images/image-loading.gif"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p>“She is both a survivor of the Middle Passage (slave trade) and someone who was deeply read,” Field said. “She really changes the way students think about African American literary tradition and about slavery.”</p><p>Students in Field’s African American Literature 1 class respond to the joy and beauty in Wheatley’s poetry as she describes society and reflects on herself and God.</p><p>“The way she viewed the world despite her circumstances is the thing I’m most taking away from her,” said <strong>Rachel Moore</strong>, a secondary education and English major and psychology minor. “You can tell she was very appreciative of the world around her.”</p><p><strong>Albert Dumont</strong>, ’27, also a secondary education and English major, appreciates Wheatley’s perseverance.</p><p>“She was taken at such a young age (from her parents) and sold into slavery, and yet she wrote such beautiful work,” he said. “She clearly is extremely well-educated in terms of religion and the classics.”</p><p>Albert and Rachel, who plan to become high school English teachers, credit Field with inspiring their future lessons. Albert appreciates the diverse views expressed during class as students share unique perspectives on literature.</p><p>Rachel hopes to teach her future students about Wheatley and other underrepresented authors. She praises the class for introducing her to the true breadth of American literature.</p><p>“In high school, the literature canon is old, white, rich men,” she said. “Bringing in people who do not fit that is so important because representation matters.”</p><p><em>Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email </em><a href="mailto:stories@bridgew.edu"><em>stories@bridgew.edu</em></a><em>.</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-hide-featured field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> No </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div class="ckeditor-media-class"> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image-9 field--type-image field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <picture> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/wheatley.webp 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/wheatley.webp 705w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" width="705" height="396"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/wheatley.jpg 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/wheatley.jpg 705w" type="image/jpeg" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" width="705" height="396"> <img loading="lazy" srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/wheatley.jpg 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/wheatley.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/wheatley.jpg" alt="Emily Field speaks from behind a podium with a picture of the Phillis Wheatley stamp behind her."> </picture> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-testimonial field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <section class="paragraph paragraph--type--testimonial paragraph---id--324641 scroll-reveal box1 paragraph--view-mode--default" aria-label="testimonial content id-324641"> <div class="media-wrapper"> <div class="media"> <div class="media-body"> <blockquote> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>I was honored to be part of an event for an author who I admire and have been really interested to study. I think she has so much to teach us.</p> </div> </div> </blockquote> <div class="field field--name-field-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Dr. Emily Field </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-inline field__items"> <div class="field__label">Tags</div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/2789" aria-label="Related stories tagged Faculty Focus" hreflang="en">Faculty Focus</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> Thu, 12 Mar 2026 13:09:53 +0000 BBENSON@bridgew.edu 5086046 at English Professor’s Book Lands on Three Best of 2025 Lists /stories/2026/english-professors-book-lands-three-best-2025-lists <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">English Professor’s Book Lands on Three Best of 2025 Lists</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span lang about="/users/bbensonbridgewedu" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype>BBENSON@bridgew.edu</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2026-01-28T10:25:40-05:00" title="Wednesday, January 28, 2026 - 10:25" class="datetime">Wed, 01/28/2026 - 10:25</time> </span> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-short-description-v2 field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>In <em>Abbreviate</em>, Dr. Sarah Fawn Montgomery explores the injustices of girlhood</p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <time datetime="2026-01-29T12:00:00Z" class="datetime">January 29, 2026</time> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Brian Benson, G'23 </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>For her newest book, Dr. <strong>Sarah Fawn Montgomery</strong> turned to a genre and topic that especially resonates with her 911±ŹÁÏ State students.</p><p><em>Abbreviate</em>, a collection of short essays written in the style of lyric flash prose, explores the injustices girls face by drawing on stories from Montgomery’s experiences and those of her family and friends.</p><p>“I learn a lot about being a teacher by being a writer,” the associate professor of <a href="/department/english" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="93e1c8c5-d767-4682-8573-efc57c53a93f" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="English">English</a> said. “I have a lot of students who are really interested in flash (as a genre). It’s what they want to read and what they want to write.”</p><p><em>Abbreviate</em> has been well received by readers who connect Montgomery’s stories to their own lives. <em>Literary Hub</em>, the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses, and the <em>Independent Book Review</em> all included the book on their “best of 2025” lists.&nbsp;</p><p><em>Kirkus Reviews</em> called <em>Abbreviate</em>, “an intense, unflinching and sometimes-dispiriting analysis of gender roles. 
 Montgomery grapples with the complexities of being a woman in a patriarchal society.”</p><p>“I was pleasantly and wonderfully surprised,” Montgomery said of making the best-of-the-year lists. “There are so many books that were published. I wasn’t expecting it would be recognized in this way.”</p> <div class="align-right ckeditor-media-class"> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden c-portrait-image field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/150w/public/media/images/abbreviatecover_0.jpg" alt="The front cover of the book Abbreviate showing drawings of several girls and mountains" class="image-style-_50w"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p>Lyric flash prose combines the structure of prose with the compactness, emotion and imagery of poetry. In her essays, which she describes as short enough to read on the train or between classes, Montgomery writes about issues such as domestic violence and sexism.</p><p>She writes how injustices make girls and women feel exceedingly small, as if their stories don’t matter. She also explores how girlhood can be saved through, as she writes in the book’s description, “the communal care of fierce female friends.”</p><p>The author hopes the book encourages readers to value even the small stories in their lives and helps girls become unafraid to speak up and exercise their voices.</p><p>“We’re seeing a lot of women’s rights being rolled back politically and socially, but also the right to speak up, the right to even voice a story,” Montgomery said. “I want to tell young people they have a tremendous amount of wisdom. Young people have a tremendous amount of voice.”</p><p><em>Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email </em><a href="mailto:stories@bridgew.edu"><em>stories@bridgew.edu</em></a><em>.</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-hide-featured field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> No </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div class="ckeditor-media-class"> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image-9 field--type-image field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <picture> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/montgomerycrop2.webp 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/montgomerycrop2.webp 705w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" width="705" height="398"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/montgomerycrop2.jpg 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/montgomerycrop2.jpg 705w" type="image/jpeg" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" width="705" height="398"> <img loading="lazy" srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/montgomerycrop2.jpg 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/montgomerycrop2.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/montgomerycrop2.jpg" alt="Sarah Fawn Montgomery stands in front of trees."> </picture> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-testimonial field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <section class="paragraph paragraph--type--testimonial paragraph---id--324261 scroll-reveal box1 paragraph--view-mode--default" aria-label="testimonial content id-324261"> <div class="media-wrapper"> <div class="media"> <div class="media-body"> <blockquote> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>We’re seeing a lot of women’s rights being rolled back politically and socially, but also the right to speak up, the right to even voice a story. I want to tell young people they have a tremendous amount of wisdom. Young people have a tremendous amount of voice.</p> </div> </div> </blockquote> <div class="field field--name-field-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Dr. Sarah Fawn Montgomery </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-inline field__items"> <div class="field__label">Tags</div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/2789" aria-label="Related stories tagged Faculty Focus" hreflang="en">Faculty Focus</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> Wed, 28 Jan 2026 15:25:40 +0000 BBENSON@bridgew.edu 5066616 at Calming Effect  /stories/2025/calming-effect <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Calming Effect&nbsp;</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span lang about="/users/bbensonbridgewedu" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype>BBENSON@bridgew.edu</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2025-11-03T17:05:44-05:00" title="Monday, November 3, 2025 - 17:05" class="datetime">Mon, 11/03/2025 - 17:05</time> </span> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-short-description-v2 field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>Professor studies effectiveness of Plymouth County comfort dogs</p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <time datetime="2025-11-04T12:00:00Z" class="datetime">November 4, 2025</time> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Brian Benson, G'23 </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>When a BSU student experiences a traumatic event, police officers often meet them with a four-legged companion. That pal is Mikey, a trained comfort dog whose presence creates a calming effect.</p><p>“Having Mikey there helps them feel a little bit better and tell us what happened,” said <a href="/about-us/police-department" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="2cae0e9a-5f28-493e-a996-270059b5bb36" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Police Department">BSUPD</a> Detective Capt. <strong>Robert McEvoy</strong>, who has been Mikey’s handler since the American black Labrador retriever arrived at BSU in 2022. “She’s there to assist.”</p><p>Mikey (along with fellow BSU canine Zach) is part of a team of comfort dogs that supports communities in Plymouth County through an initiative organized by the District Attorney’s Office. The dogs often work together when attending community events or responding to a major crisis affecting a school.</p><p>With funding from federal grants, Associate Professor <strong>Leslie Sattler</strong> of the <a href="/department/school-of-social-work" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="da169361-407c-4a0f-8638-2ca3a52ea808" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="School of Social Work">School of Social Work</a> is studying the effectiveness of the comfort dog program. Preliminary results from four school districts are positive: 85 percent of students said officer-comfort dog teams made them feel safe in school while 83 percent reported that the teams made them feel calm when stressed. Parents and school staff said the program motivated students to attend classes.</p><p>“People across the board really like having the officers paired with the dogs,” Dr. Sattler said, noting the program enhances communication and trust. “They feel like it humanizes the officers and helps build relationships.”</p><p>Sattler gravitated toward this project because of her longstanding interest in alternative therapies. She provided adventure and wilderness-based therapy and dedicated much of her career to working with adolescents involved in the juvenile justice system.</p><p>“For me, it’s all about how can we improve community policing so people see officers as a resource instead of someone to fear,” she said.</p><p>Some BSU students even met Mikey when they were in high school and rekindled that connection in college.</p><p>“We’re developing relationships with our students before they are even our students,” McEvoy said.</p><p>Earlier this fall, McEvoy presented at the New England Association of Chiefs of Police conference, where he spoke about the positive difference Mikey makes on campus.</p><p>“There’s no judgement from the dog,” he said. “It’s unconditional love.”</p><p><em>Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email </em><a href="mailto:stories@bridgew.edu"><em>stories@bridgew.edu</em></a><em>.</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-hide-featured field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> No </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div class="ckeditor-media-class"> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image-9 field--type-image field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <picture> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/mikey2.webp 470w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" width="470" height="265"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/mikey2.jpg 470w" type="image/jpeg" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" width="470" height="265"> <img loading="lazy" srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/mikey2.jpg 470w" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/mikey2.jpg" alt="A comfort dog licks a student's face."> </picture> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-testimonial field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <section class="paragraph paragraph--type--testimonial paragraph---id--322896 scroll-reveal box1 paragraph--view-mode--default" aria-label="testimonial content id-322896"> <div class="media-wrapper"> <div class="media"> <div class="media-body"> <blockquote> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>People across the board really like having the officers paired with the dogs. They feel like it humanizes the officers and helps build relationships.</p> </div> </div> </blockquote> <div class="field field--name-field-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Dr. Leslie Sattler </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-inline field__items"> <div class="field__label">Tags</div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/2789" aria-label="Related stories tagged Faculty Focus" hreflang="en">Faculty Focus</a> </div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/tags/bsupd" aria-label="Related stories tagged BSUPD" hreflang="en">BSUPD</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> Mon, 03 Nov 2025 22:05:44 +0000 BBENSON@bridgew.edu 990186 at New Addition /stories/2025/new-addition <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">New Addition</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span lang about="/users/bbensonbridgewedu" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype>BBENSON@bridgew.edu</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2025-10-14T10:58:19-04:00" title="Tuesday, October 14, 2025 - 10:58" class="datetime">Tue, 10/14/2025 - 10:58</time> </span> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-short-description-v2 field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p><span>Alumna returns to BSU as math instructor</span></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <time datetime="2025-10-14T12:00:00Z" class="datetime">October 14, 2025</time> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Brian Benson, G'23 </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>When <strong>Jill Milton</strong>, ’94, arrived at 911±ŹÁÏ State as a freshman, she had the passion to become a teacher but lacked the skills to first be a successful student.</p><p>911±ŹÁÏ, she recalled, was the perfect place for a first-generation student like her to grow academically.</p><p>“911±ŹÁÏ was well prepared to help me improve my writing and my research skills,” said Milton, who studied early childhood education. “I learned how to problem solve and time manage.”</p><p>Three decades later, Milton is back at her alma matter as a part-time instructor teaching math for aspiring elementary school educators. Her class helps students understand fundamental concepts at a deeper level, preparing them to effectively teach math in their careers.</p><p>Most of her students are in their first semester of college and remind Milton of herself as a college student.</p><p>“I have a lot of gratitude for what 911±ŹÁÏ gave me,” she said. “I have a perspective now where I have the ability to help students as they transition from high school to college and build those skills they need.”</p><p>Milton encourages students to utilize the numerous academic and social emotional supports available on campus. She hopes to inspire them just as her professors left an indelible mark on her through their enthusiasm and commitment.</p><p>Milton credits an introduction to college class with establishing the foundational skills she lacked. While she initially had a low GPA, she became acclimated to a college environment and worked hard to steadily improve.</p><p>As she took classes within her major, she tapped into a longstanding passion for working with children. While growing up, Milton enjoyed spending time with her younger cousins and being a babysitter. As a 911±ŹÁÏ student, she appreciated hands-on experiences in which she worked closely with Brockton youngsters.</p><p>“I remember leaving there and being a bit emotional,” she said. “I started to realize the opportunity I would have as a teacher working with students and having an impact on their learning.”</p><p>Milton began her career as an elementary school teacher and advanced to an administrator specializing in mathematics curriculum, data analysis and teacher professional development. Seeking more flexibility in her work life, Milton now runs a math tutoring business and teaches college classes.</p><p>She relishes the full-circle moments she experiences whenever she returns to her alma mater, a university she said was the essential backbone for all of her professional accomplishments.</p><p>“I love 911±ŹÁÏ and its campus,” Milton said. “It’s a special place.”</p><p><em>Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email </em><a href="mailto:stories@bridgew.edu"><em>stories@bridgew.edu</em></a><em>.</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-hide-featured field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> No </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div class="ckeditor-media-class"> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image-9 field--type-image field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <picture> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/milton.webp 470w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" width="470" height="266"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/milton.jpg 470w" type="image/jpeg" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" width="470" height="266"> <img loading="lazy" srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/milton.jpg 470w" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/milton.jpg" alt="Jill Milton poses for a photo with Bristaco."> </picture> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-testimonial field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <section class="paragraph paragraph--type--testimonial paragraph---id--322686 scroll-reveal box1 paragraph--view-mode--default" aria-label="testimonial content id-322686"> <div class="media-wrapper"> <div class="media"> <div class="media-body"> <blockquote> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>911±ŹÁÏ was well prepared to help me improve my writing and my research skills. I learned how to problem solve and time manage.</p> </div> </div> </blockquote> <div class="field field--name-field-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Jill Milton, ’94 </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-inline field__items"> <div class="field__label">Tags</div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/tags/alumni-profile" aria-label="Related stories tagged Alumni Profile" hreflang="en">Alumni Profile</a> </div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/2789" aria-label="Related stories tagged Faculty Focus" hreflang="en">Faculty Focus</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> Tue, 14 Oct 2025 14:58:19 +0000 BBENSON@bridgew.edu 990026 at Cool Podcast /stories/2025/cool-podcast <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Cool Podcast</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span lang about="/users/bbensonbridgewedu" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype>BBENSON@bridgew.edu</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2025-07-03T10:25:25-04:00" title="Thursday, July 3, 2025 - 10:25" class="datetime">Thu, 07/03/2025 - 10:25</time> </span> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-short-description-v2 field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>English professor’s podcast teaches students about Icelandic sagas</p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <time datetime="2025-07-10T12:00:00Z" class="datetime">July 10, 2025</time> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Brian Benson, G'23 </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>Dr. <strong>John Sexton</strong> had his students in mind when he recorded his first podcast episode about Icelandic sagas. A dozen years and more than 3 million downloads later, it’s safe to say the “Saga Thing” show has an audience far beyond the classroom.</p><p>The series is a collaboration between the BSU <a href="/department/english-old" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="8b25e512-20f7-461b-8c05-be232288e725" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Department of English">English</a> professor and his graduate school classmate, Dr. Andy Pfrenger of the University of Mississippi. They planned to have students listen to episodes as homework in order to focus class meetings on discussions rather than lectures.</p><p>“We didn’t realize at first that anyone else would be listening,” said Sexton, who still uses the podcast as originally intended despite its much broader reach. “A few months in, we first started getting comments on the episodes and it just rolled from there.”</p><p>Sexton and Pfrenger are working through 40 Icelandic sagas. The narratives chronicle the lives of Icelanders mostly in the ninth through 11th centuries. The sagas share the struggles of early Icelandic settlers and include adventures in foreign lands. They provide detailed histories of specific regions and families.</p><p>Each saga spans multiple podcast episodes as Sexton and Pfrenger review major characters and offer their thoughts on topics such as the best bloodshed, best section of dialogue and most creative nicknames. They sometimes touch on archeological findings, sailing techniques, cooking and a host of other topics. Listeners offer their own insights through a Discord community. Sexton has a scholarly focus on disability studies while Pfrenger investigates topographical data of the sagas.&nbsp;</p><p>Sexton traces his interest in sagas to his childhood when he received a book of Norse mythology as a gift and became enthralled by the tales. He continued to pursue ancient writings by exploring medieval literature in graduate school and now podcasting.</p><p>“This very much reoriented the way I think about scholarship. The point of scholarship is about communication,” Sexton said. “The podcast became a much more public-facing way to produce scholarship.”</p><p>Sexton offers his 911±ŹÁÏ State students the same opportunity to express their academic work in unconventional ways. In an upper-level English class about the sagas, students even produce their own podcasts.</p><p>“I’m giving them a chance to take ownership of their thought process and scholarship in ways that aren’t just writing another paper,” he said, adding, “I’m hoping to teach my students not just literature, but the excitement about the literature.”</p><p><em>Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email </em><a href="mailto:stories@bridgew.edu"><em>stories@bridgew.edu</em></a><em>.</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-hide-featured field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> No </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div class="ckeditor-media-class"> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image-9 field--type-image field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <picture> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/podcast.webp 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/podcast.webp 600w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" width="600" height="338"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/podcast.jpg 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/podcast.jpg 600w" type="image/jpeg" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" width="600" height="338"> <img loading="lazy" srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/podcast.jpg 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/podcast.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/podcast.jpg" alt="John Sexton speaks to a colleague in front of a wide Icelandic landscape."> </picture> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-testimonial field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <section class="paragraph paragraph--type--testimonial paragraph---id--320781 scroll-reveal box1 paragraph--view-mode--default" aria-label="testimonial content id-320781"> <div class="media-wrapper"> <div class="media"> <div class="media-body"> <blockquote> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>I’m giving them a chance to take ownership of their thought process and scholarship in ways that aren’t just writing another paper. ... I’m hoping to teach my students not just literature, but the excitement about the literature.</p> </div> </div> </blockquote> <div class="field field--name-field-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Dr. John Sexton </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-inline field__items"> <div class="field__label">Tags</div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/2789" aria-label="Related stories tagged Faculty Focus" hreflang="en">Faculty Focus</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> Thu, 03 Jul 2025 14:25:25 +0000 BBENSON@bridgew.edu 362726 at Teaching and Showing /stories/2025/teaching-and-showing <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Teaching and Showing </span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span lang about="/users/hharrisbridgewedu" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype>HHARRIS@bridgew.edu</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2025-04-28T10:20:10-04:00" title="Monday, April 28, 2025 - 10:20" class="datetime">Mon, 04/28/2025 - 10:20</time> </span> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-short-description-v2 field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>Cambridge art exhibit features work by two faculty members</p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <time datetime="2025-04-29T12:00:00Z" class="datetime">April 29, 2025</time> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Heather Harris Michonski </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>Now through May 17, members of the 911±ŹÁÏ community can travel to the <a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.prcboston.org%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7CHHARRIS%40bridgew.edu%7C34221f07f3364aef7ea908dd84d5d9e3%7C48ec3bf8d1654eabbbeef8d5307f46e1%7C0%7C0%7C638812776199950249%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=rr6109UExEqaCDyLpfqrQoNviVUGW1HQF77bMKUfKz4%3D&amp;reserved=0">Photography Resource Center</a> (PRC) in Cambridge, where BSU art professors <strong>Douglas Breault</strong> and <strong>Amy Lovera</strong>’s<strong>&nbsp;</strong>work is on display as part of the PHOTO/FACULTY exhibit curated by Catherine LeComte Lecce.&nbsp;</p><p>“To be part of this exhibit, to be included with so many amazing artists, I feel honored,” said Lovera, an associate professor in the department. &nbsp;</p><p>The show features the work of 52 photography faculty members from 14 institutions. The work ranges from conceptual explorations to documentary storytelling. According to PRC’s online description, the exhibit is intended to honor educators who shape the future of photography through their dual roles as artists and mentors.&nbsp;</p><p>“Sometimes being a professor or artist can feel isolating,” Breault said. “To be brought together through this exhibit, it’s revitalizing to see how others approach things. It offers us a chance to share ideas and take suggestions that help to keep that creative energy flowing.”</p><figure class="caption caption-drupal-media align-left"> <div class="ckeditor-media-class"> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="blazy blazy--field blazy--field-media-image blazy--field-media-image--image-180x220 field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden c-portrait-image field__items" data-blazy> <div class="field__item"> <div data-b-token="b-1f188da7e7b" class="media media--blazy media--image is-b-loading"><img alt="&amp;quot;18 Wishes&amp;quot;" decoding="async" class="media__element b-lazy" loading="lazy" data-src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/180x220/public/media/images/amy_lovera_18_wishes.jpg?h=942f6efa" src="/sites/bridgew/files/media/images/image-loading.gif"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <figcaption>"18 Wishes"</figcaption> </figure> <p>Lovera’s piece featured in the exhibit, “18 Wishes” was created using an older process where an object is placed on top of photographic paper then exposed to light to create a “white” shadow. The 16 X 20 piece is part of a larger “Securing Shadows” series that Lovera has been working on for the past four years.&nbsp;</p><p>“The whole series is about childhood from my perspective as a mom. The temporality of childhood,” she said.&nbsp;</p><p>Instructor Breault’s piece, “Slow Swirl at the Edge of the Sea” focuses on the idea of memory, how things change, evolve, and fade over time. He created it as the pandemic began to slow down and his son was just a newborn.&nbsp;</p><p>“I was in this period where I was alone and up at night a lot, thinking about how to make things, what happens when I have reflections with mirrors and manipulate scenes,” Breault said.&nbsp;</p><p>Aside from having their work featured, both professors look forward to networking with the other artists, many of whom they admire and respect and bring new ideas, generated from conversations, back to their BSU classrooms.&nbsp;</p><p>“Our photography program at 911±ŹÁÏ is unique,” Lovera said. “We have a large dark room, something that not a lot of universities have anymore.”</p><p>Located in Hunt Hall, the department also features newer equipment, which allows students to work fluidly between the digital world and other photography techniques.&nbsp;</p><figure class="caption caption-drupal-media align-right"> <div class="ckeditor-media-class"> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="blazy blazy--field blazy--field-media-image blazy--field-media-image--image-180x220 field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden c-portrait-image field__items" data-blazy> <div class="field__item"> <div data-b-token="b-52ceb4134d7" class="media media--blazy media--image is-b-loading"><img alt="A fire against a sky" decoding="async" class="media__element b-lazy" loading="lazy" data-src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/180x220/public/media/images/doug_breault_art_piece_in_exhibit.jpg?h=8fa4a684" src="/sites/bridgew/files/media/images/image-loading.gif"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <figcaption>"Slow Swirl at the Edge of the Sea"&nbsp;</figcaption> </figure> <p>“We spend a lot of time teaching multiple media practices,” Lovera said. “Our students work physically, digitally
it all helps create something magical, an alchemy.”</p><p>Breault said he looks forward to bringing new ideas back to his students, that were created through conversations with the other faculty-artists featured in the exhibit.&nbsp;</p><p>“We get to use photography as a communication tool. To tell stories and learn from each other. The challenge is to keep it innovative, to have the ability to engage and respond with students in real time,” he said. “I look forward to helping students figure out their own path, being able to use my knowledge to help them figure out what they want to be.”</p><p><em>Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email </em><a href="mailto:stories@bridgew.edu"><em>stories@bridgew.edu</em></a><em>&nbsp;</em></p><p>&nbsp;</p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-hide-featured field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> No </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div class="ckeditor-media-class"> <div class="layout layout--onecol"> <div class="layout__region layout__region--content"> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image-9 field--type-image field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <picture> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/art_professors_main_photo.webp 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/art_professors_main_photo.webp 705w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" width="705" height="470"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/art_professors_main_photo.jpg 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/art_professors_main_photo.jpg 705w" type="image/jpeg" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" width="705" height="470"> <img loading="lazy" srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/art_professors_main_photo.jpg 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/art_professors_main_photo.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/art_professors_main_photo.jpg" alt="A man and woman stand next to each other smiling "> </picture> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-testimonial field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <section class="paragraph paragraph--type--testimonial paragraph---id--320266 scroll-reveal box1 paragraph--view-mode--default" aria-label="testimonial content id-320266"> <div class="media-wrapper"> <div class="media"> <div class="media-body"> <blockquote> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <p>We get to use photography as a communication tool. To tell stories and learn from each other. The challenge is to keep it innovative, to have the ability to engage and respond with students in real time.</p> </div> </div> </blockquote> <div class="field field--name-field-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Douglas Breault </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-inline field__items"> <div class="field__label">Tags</div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/2789" aria-label="Related stories tagged Faculty Focus" hreflang="en">Faculty Focus</a> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-credit field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Photo by Benjamin Eng </div> </div> </div> </div> Mon, 28 Apr 2025 14:20:10 +0000 HHARRIS@bridgew.edu 254926 at