Bridgewater State University Fit

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Bridgewater State University is a public liberal-arts college located in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, United States. It is the largest college in the Massachusetts state university system outside the University of Massachusetts system. The university consists of the main campus located in Bridgewater, and two satellite campuses; one in Attleboro, and one on Cape Cod, which opened in January 2015. The school's sports teams are the Bears, and the school colors are crimson red, black and white.

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Maps, Directions, and Place Reviews

History

Foundation

Bridgewater State University was founded by Horace Mann as a normal school styled Bridgewater Normal School. It opened on September 9, 1840, making it the oldest permanently located institution of public higher education in Massachusetts. As one of the first normal schools in the nation, its initial mission was to train school teachers. Today Bridgewater, which is regarded as the "home of teacher education in America", has the largest enrollment of teacher education students in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Since the 1960s, the school has also expanded its program to include liberal arts, business, and aviation science. It became a university and took on its present name in 2010. During its history, it has also been known as Bridgewater State College, Bridgewater Teachers College, Bridgewater State Teachers College, and State Teachers College at Bridgewater.

The normal school opened in the basement of the Old Bridgewater Town Hall, in a 40-foot by 50-foot space, divided into three rooms: an ante-room for students, an apparatus room, and a classroom. The first class consisted of 21 women and seven men. Nicholas Tillinghast, the first principal (1840-53) was initially the only instructor. The school year consisted of two 14-week terms. Students were not required to attend consecutively.

In 1845, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts finally agreed to construct a building for Bridgewater State Normal School, the first building ever erected in America for the preparation of teachers. This two-story wooden building, 64 feet by 42 feet, accommodating 84 students, was to be the institution's educational plant for almost half a century. There were small and large classrooms, with blackboards in each. Since changes were made to the school, the board of education required people to attend three terms for fourteen consecutive weeks, establishing a year's course. The building was dedicated on August 19, 1846, with Horace Mann saying on the occasion: "Among all the lights and shadows that ever crossed my path, this day's radiance is the brightest...I consider this event as marking an era in the progress of education--which as we all know is the progress of civilization-on this western continent, and throughout the world. It is the completion of the first normal schoolhouse ever erected in Massachusetts,--in the Union,--in this hemisphere. It belongs to that class of events which may happen once, but are not capable of being repeated. Coiled up in this institution, as in a spring, there is a vigor whose uncoiling may wheel the spheres." This first normal school established a professional standard for the preparation of teachers, breaking away from traditional academics for attendance. It was the next step toward establishing educational institutions for specific purposes.

Bridgewater Normal School trained its students in elementary-school subjects; expansion subjects above the elementary level including mathematics, philosophy, and literature; and pedagogy, including philosophy of teaching and discipline based on child psychology, and as much practical experience under constant supervision as possible at the model school.

1924 fire

An early-morning fire on Wednesday December 10, 1924, destroyed three of the college's buildings, over half of the campus: Tillinghast Hall, the Training School, and old Woodward dormitories. The Normal School and the boiler room were saved. The fire was so large that other towns' fire departments had to be called to assist. The cause of the fire was not definitely established, but it is believed to have been either "rats or mice" gnawing in the heating ducts, or a spontaneous combustion. There were reportedly no injuries.

The Normal School and boiler room were repaired immediately. Tillinghast Hall was rebuilt and a new Woodward dorm built. The training school was housed in a different building temporarily and later a new building was built for it exemplifying a well equipped elementary school, with a gym and playground. The total State appropriation for the Normal School repairs and rebuilding of the training school was $606,566, in addition to $86,500 from the town.

Recent history

In the 1950s, many veterans of the Korean War enrolled and proms were the highlight of the year for them. In 1957 the John J. Kelly Gym was built and in 1959 SAT scores were required to be submitted for the first time.

During the 1960s the liberal arts curriculum was introduced. The Ivy Exercises, in which the junior class would form an archway with ivy leaves leading up to the school on graduation day, were dying out. In 1960 Pope Hall was built as an all women's dorm. Scott Hall was built in 1961 as an all men's dorm. The Marshall Conant Science Building was built in 1964 and was named after the school's second principal. In 1967 Shea and Durgin Halls were built as co-ed dorms.

In 1971 The Clement C. Maxwell Library was completed. In 1976 the tennis courts opened and students could enjoy movies on Sundays and Tuesdays for 25 to 75 cents. From 1970 to 1990 the college expanded and enrollment quadrupled. The number of faculty tripled. During this time, Education became the most popular major, and remains so today.

In 1992 the college established the School of Education and Allied Studies and the School of Arts and Sciences. In 1995 the Moakley Center opened. From 1999 to 2002 the college had an endowment campaign to raise 10 million dollars to support academics.

In 2010 Bridgewater State was one of the Massachusetts state colleges that chose to become a university. This would boost its popularity, attract more contributions, increase student applications and enrollment, and give the school a higher profile. On July 22, 2010, the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate voted to give the college university status and change its name to Bridgewater State University. The measure was signed into law by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick on July 28, 2010. Today the university is considered the "Birthplace of teacher education in America", and has one of the most prominent and distinguished Teaching & Education programs in the country. It has the largest teacher enrollment in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Presidents

• Nicholas Tillinghast (1840-1853)
• Marshall Conant (1853-1860)
• Albert Gardner Boyden (1860-1906)
• Arthur Boyden (1906-1933)
• Zenos E. Scott (1933-1937)
• John J. Kelly (1937-1951)
• Clement C. Maxwell (1951-1962)
• Adrian Rondileau (1962-1986, 1988-1989)
• Gerard T. Indelicato (1986-1987)
• Adrian Tinsley (1989-2002)
• Dana Mohler-Faria (2002-2015)
• Frederick W. Clark Jr. (2015-Present)

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Buildings and Layout

Campus Map

West Campus

• Samuel P. Gates House (1876, 6,138 square feet (570.2 m²)) is a small woodframe structure that was once the dwelling of Samuel Gates.
• Boyden Hall (1924, 63,248 square feet (5,875.9 m²)) was constructed as the main building of Bridgewater Normal School following the campus fire of 1924. It now houses the Registrar's Office, Financial Aid services, Student Accounts, the President and Vice President's offices, administrative offices, the department of Information Technology, and several classrooms. On the lowest level, School Street side, is the Horace Mann Auditorium.
• Harrington Hall (1926, 26,640 square feet (2,475 m²)) was named in honor of Lee F. Harrington. Formerly it was the Burnell Campus School (see below). The building houses the School of Business.

• Tillinghast Hall (1916, 51,760 square feet (4,809 m²)), known as "Tilly", is at the corner of School and Summer Streets. Named after the first principal of Bridgewater Normal School, it houses faculty offices, department offices, Flynn Dining Commons, the campus post office, and Health Services.

• The Art Center (1904, 14,924 square feet (1,386.5 m²)) was originally constructed as Boyden Gymnasium (an indoor track remains on the second floor). It was converted into the art center in 1974, and now houses the Art Department and the Anderson Art Gallery.

• Hunt Hall (1936, 25,500 square feet (2,370 m²)), formerly the Dr. Albert F. Hunt Junior High School, is on School St. It houses the parking clerk and student ID services in the basement and classrooms on the upper floors.

• Summer Street House (1925) (3,831 square feet (355.9 m²)), a former home near the Alumni Center and Maxwell Library, houses the Political Science Department.

• Davis Alumni Center (1990, 6,492 square feet (603.1 m²)), another former home, houses the alumni services office.

• Christian Fellowship Services Building, on Shaw Road, is another former house.

• Clement C. Maxwell Library (1971, 172,580 square feet (16,033 m²)) is a four-story cement-and-brick structure located on Shaw Road with secondary entrances on Park Street. It is named for former college president Clement C. Maxwell. The facility has over 300,000 volumes, an assorted collection of music and videos, and many classrooms. The third floor Special Collections area features a small museum and specialized collection on Abraham Lincoln. A Starbucks kiosk is located on the ground floor by the IT Support Services office.

• The Adrian Rondileau Campus Center (1970, 161,000 square feet (15,000 m²)) was built on the site of Boyden Park on Park Street. It was known as the Student Union until the retirement of then-president Adrian Rondileau. The center contains ballrooms and conference rooms, a cafeteria with a Dunkin' Donuts, an open-access computer lab, and a small dining room, and also houses offices for the Center for Multicultural and International Affairs, the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership, the Program Committee, the Student Government Association, Visitor Information, Career Services, and Conference and Events Services. The building was given a $3.5 million renovation in 2013, including a new street-level main entrance and enlarged windows and doors.

• Bridgewater State University Auditorium is a semi-annex to the RCC building, and has two levels of seating and a number of classrooms and offices below it for the Communications, Theatre, and Music Departments. The Beach Boys once held a live performance in the auditorium, and it was home to the world premiere of "Drakula: The Rock Opera".
• The Marshall Conant Science Center (2011), named after one of the Normal School's early principals, is on Park Street and is home to the school's science departments (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Earth Sciences and Geography). At 212,000 square feet (19,700 m²), the Conant Science Center is the largest building on campus. The land separating it from Pope Hall (see below) contains a small park, a memorial area, and a greenhouse. This replaces the original Conant Science Building from 1964 and has anobservatory on the roof. Behind the science building, adjacent to the park and to athletic practice fields, is the campus power plant.
• Welcome Center (2015, 15,000 square feet (1,400 m²)). The two-story facility houses the undergraduate and transfer admissions offices, along with the university's financial aid offices.
• John J. Kelly Gymnasium (1957, Template:56,640). Located across from the library and next to the science building is this gymnasium, which succeeded the Boyden Gymnasium and preceded the Tinsley Center (see below) as the main athletic building for the campus. It features large and small gyms and a swimming pool. The bottom floor houses classrooms used primarily by the School of Education and Allied Studies. Near the gymnasium is the Catholic Center.
• A short distance from the campus in the woods off 400 Summer Street is the old observatory (1973, 500 square feet (46 m²)), which is no longer in use.

East Campus

• The John Joseph Moakley Center for Technological Applications (1995, 49,000 square feet (4,600 m²)) is named for the late former US Representative John Joseph Moakley. This facility features computer labs and a large technologically enhanced auditorium.

• The faculty union, MSCA, occupies a small house on Burrill Avenue, across from the Moakley Center.
• Walter and Marie Hart Hall (1979, 25,500 square feet (2,370 m²)) is connected to the Moakley Center and contains classrooms and offices for the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, the Department of Secondary Education, the Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education, and the Psychology Department.
• Martha Burnell Hall (1979, 70,650 square feet (6,564 m²)), located on Hooper Street and connected to Hart Hall, is a former 400-student elementary school that was run cooperatively by Bridgewater State University and the Bridgewater-Raynham Regional School District. It served as a model school and an area for student teaching and pre-practica experiences, replacing the former Martha Burnell School in Harrington Hall. In 2008, the elementary students moved to other schools in the town of Bridgewater, and Bridgewater State College re-appropriated the building for its own use. It currently houses the campus daycare center, and a dance studio has been added.
• East Campus Commons (2002, 32,000 square feet (3,000 m²)) houses a dining facility, the campus bookstore, and a Dunkin' Donuts. It is located across a small courtyard from East Hall (see below), a new co-ed dorm constructed at the same time.

• The Adrian Tinsley Center (2002, 84,000 square feet (7,800 m²)) was constructed at the same time as East Campus Commons and East Hall and is named after the university's immediate past president, Adrian Tinsley. It is located behind the Great Hill Student Apartments and Swenson Field, and is the new home of the college's athletic programs. The building contains a modern fitness center as well as a large partitioning gymnasium, a running track on the second floor, and classrooms.

• Operations Center (2003, 30,632 square feet (2,845.8 m²)), also constructed at the same time as the Tinsley Center and East Hall, is located slightly downhill from Shea and Durgin Halls (see below). This facility houses the Campus Police Headquarters and the offices of carpenters, custodial services, electricians, mechanics, groundskeepers, a locksmith, painters, plumbers, recycling, and transportation.
• The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority runs a commuter rail train station on the BSU campus. It is located on East Campus near Crimson and Weygand halls. This is the Middleborough/Lakeville Line, which runs from Middleborough to Boston's South Station.

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Residential life

Normal schools, because they were state institutions, received no bequests from wealthy alumni. After the Civil War, in 1869, the first college dormitory was constructed, called Normal Hall. This was a coed dormitory which was split half and half. Boys on one side, girls on the other. Students would contribute a specific amount of money for food, and the principal would then purchase supplies at the nearest wholesale. Any surplus amount of money at the end of the year was split up between those who had paid. In the 1890s this procedure was discontinued and a set price for board was established.

In later years, as enrollment grew beginning in 1933, new dormitories were constructed: Woodward Hall and Tillinghast. In the post-war period, more dormitories were built: Pope Hall, Scott Hall, Durgin Hall, and Shea Hall.

West Campus

• Woodward Hall (1924, 57,920 square feet (5,381 m²)) was constructed following the campus fire as a replacement for the old Woodward dormitory of 1911. It was formerly the only all-female dormitory on campus, but since the 2007-08 school year has been a freshman co-ed dormitory.

• Scott Hall (1960, renovated and re-opened fall 2009, 41,436 square feet (3,849.5 m²)), located behind the Campus Center and across from the Davis Alumni Center, is a co-ed residence hall.

• Pope Hall (1960, renovated and re-opened fall 2009, 36,360 square feet (3,378 m²)), in front of the Campus Center, across from the Art Center, and next to the science building, is a co-ed residence hall.

East Campus

• Frankland W. L. Miles, Jr., Hall (1989, 56,700 square feet (5,270 m²)), a co-ed suite-style dormitory constructed in 1989. It is directly adjacent to DiNardo Hall and the two are often considered one main dormitory, separated by a small central courtyard.
• V. James DiNardo Hall (1989, 56,700 square feet (5,270 m²)), a co-ed suite-style dormitory constructed in 1989. It is directly adjacent to Miles Hall and the two are often considered one main dormitory, separated by a small central courtyard.
• East Hall (2002, 84,000 square feet (7,800 m²)), a co-ed dorm, is located across a small courtyard from the East Campus Commons. It is one of three dorms with full climate control.
• Great Hill Student Apartments (1978, 51,000 square feet (4,700 m²)), located up Great Hill from East Hall, is a series of apartment buildings for upperclassmen. It is the only location on campus where alcoholic beverages are allowed.

• Shea and Durgin Halls (1967, 64,000 square feet (5,900 m²)) occupy a symmetrical building up Great Hill from the apartments and house freshmen. The Dr. Henry Rosen Memorial Tennis Courts are in front of the building.
• Crimson Hall (2007, 130,000 square feet (12,000 m²)) is a co-ed residence for upperclassmen located next to the Lower Great Hill Parking Lot and East Campus Commons. Crimson is one of three dorms with full climate control and the only dorm that contains a dining facility.
• Weygand Hall (2013, 149,000 square feet (13,800 m²)) is the newest residential hall on campus, housing 500 students. It is to the east of Crimson Hall, south of East Hall and East Campus Commons, and to the west of the Parking Garage. It is also close to the MBTA Commuter Rail stop. It is a co-ed residence for upperclassmen, featuring suites similar to Crimson Hall. Weygand is one of three dorms with full climate control. On the ground level of the building, on the side closer to the MBTA stop, is Counseling and Health Services (formerly in Tillinghast Hall)

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Student Life

Clubs and organizations

Bridgewater State University has over 160 clubs and organizations.

Four sororities, four fraternities and one co-educational fraternity are offered at BSU: Alpha Sigma Phi founded on April 14, 2015, Alpha Sigma Tau, founded in 2014, Delta Phi Epsilon, founded on December 8, 2010,Gamma Phi Beta, founded November 22, 1987, Phi Sigma Sigma, founded in 1989,Kappa Delta Phi, founded on April 14, 1900, Phi Kappa Theta, founded in 1889, Sigma Pi Fraternity International, and Phi Pi Delta.

Bridgewater State's Student Government Association (SGA) is an organization of students who represent the Bridgewater State community. Through SGA, the student body can express their academic and social wants and needs. SGA is made up of five different boards: the policy board, finance board, events board, election board, and media board.

Campus Media

The Comment

The Comment had its start in 1927. At the time The Comment served "as bulletin of school affairs and to make each class better acquainted with the activities and interests of other classes." Today, The Comment has about 20 staff writers and prints nine newspapers per semester printing 1100 copies each time. It is funded by the SGA (Student Government Association). The Comment has a website that is updated daily with news about the school and sports at Bridgewater State University, but also with current news of the nation. Their main motive is to relate the stories back to Bridgewater students. With that being said, it is a common occurrence to see faces and stories of students in the newspaper. The Comment focuses on upcoming events rather than reviews to catch hold of the reader's interest.

WBIM

WBIM, "We Bring Instructional Media" is the college radio station. It specializes in programs that bring about up and coming artists, alternative rock, and indie rock.

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Fine Arts Department

Bridgewater State University's Fine Arts Department includes Theatre, Art, Dance, and Music.

The university has had active arts programs since the late 19th century, and the Fine Arts Department continues to expand. There are three main buildings dedicated to the Arts, the oldest of which is the Art Center (1906). It was originally built as a gymnasium, but slowly transformed itself into the art center. The Wallace Anderson Gallery on the ground floor of the center was made possible by the class of 1936. The gallery holds changing exhibitions throughout the year, one exhibition being the student show, for which art majors and minors are encouraged to submit their best work.

Another building dedicated to the arts is the Rondileau Campus Center. It houses the university's theater department. Many successful shows have been produced by the theater department, including The Magic Flute, The Wizard of Oz, and Guys and Dolls. The department puts on six shows a year including BAM!, a festival showcasing works directed, designed, and managed by students. Next to and beneath the auditorium stage are classrooms and departmental offices and facilities, including a script library.

Attached to the Rondileau Campus Center is the auditorium, which holds 1,300 people. In addition to Bridgewater's own performances, it has hosted the New York City Opera, the Martha Graham Dance Company, and Tony Bennett.

A dance studio has been added to Burnell Hall.

Bridgewater State University's Fine Arts Department offers 12 majors and 5 minors:

Majors

• Art Education Concentration, BA
• Art History Concentration, BA
• Crafts Concentration, BA
• Fine Arts Concentration, BA
• Graphic Design Concentration, BA
• New Media Concentration, BA
• Photography Concentration, BA
• Communication Studies, Theatre Arts Concentration, BA
• Communication Studies, Theatre Education Concentration, BA
• Communication Studies, Dance Education Concentration, BA
• Music, BA
• Music Education Concentration, BA

Minors

• Art History
• Dance
• Music
• Studio Art
• Theatre Arts

Fine Arts Department clubs

The Fine Arts Department sponsors the following clubs:

• BSU's Noteworthy!: a cappella music
• Dance Company: explores all areas of dance
• Dance Team: performs at on-campus events such as basketball and football games, and dance shows.
• Ensemble Theatre: puts on several plays and musicals every year
• Kinetic Edge: hip hop team, performs at on-campus events
• National Art Education Association: for those interested in art and art education
• Refined Movement: performs various styles of dance at on-campus events, such as hip hop, step, dancehall, and African dance.

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Commuter Life

The majority of students at Bridgewater State University are commuters. They make up 66 percent of the BSU population. Commuters pay an estimated total of $7,553 a year to attend Bridgewater. The cost of the parking decal for part-time students is $65 and full-time students is $160. A full-time student has 12 or more credits and a part-time student has 11 or less credits.

Students can choose from several lots to park in, depending on the time of day. Spring Street Lot is located off of Spring Street and can be accessed by taking Route 104 or Route 18. The lot is located right behind the railroad tracks, a short distance from campus. One is located near the bookstore and Crimson Hall Dormitories. West Campus lots are not available to commuters prior to 4pm. Hooper Street Lot is located near Burnell Hall and Hart Hall. Swenson Field Lot is located in front of the Bridgewater State football field. The newest addition to the parking lots is the parking garage, which opened in January 2012. The garage has approximately 840 parking spaces for students. The parking garage is for commuters and is located behind Crimson Hall and Shea-Durgin Hall and is adjacent to the BSU Police Station. All commuter lots close at 2AM daily.

The Railroad is another way commuters travel to the school campus. Bridgewater State is served by the MBTA Commuter Rail. The train station is located at 85 Burrill Avenue; commuters cut through the MBTA parking lot from the train station for easy access to the campus. The railroad tracks divide the campus in half between East and West campus. There is a small walkway underpass beneath the rail line which allows students to walk between East and West campus. The stops on the line go all the way from South Station to Lakeville. The Commuter Rail takes about 45 minutes to get to South Station in Boston.

Commuters go to numerous places during the day while waiting for their classes. The Maxwell Library has a Starbucks that accepts both students' connect cards and cash. The library opens as early as 7:45 AM on weekday mornings and closes 11:45 PM Monday to Thursday and 5 PM on Fridays. The library is also open Sundays 12 PM to 11:45 PM and Saturdays 8:30 AM to 4 PM. The Commuter Lounge is another place commuters can go to make friends, get questions answered, do homework, read magazines find out information and attend events put on. The Commuter Lounge is located in Room 005 in the Rondileau Campus Center and open weekdays from 8 AM to 6 PM. Some commuters who have friends that live on campus go to their apartments or dormitories in between classes during the day. Commuters can use their dining plan or flex dollars and go to the different cafeterias and dining areas on campus during breaks. Also, there are numerous other establishments, restaurants, leisure areas, etc. in the town of Bridgewater for commuters to go as well.

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Future Expansion

West Campus

The college had planned a $100 million renovation and expansion of the 1964 Marshall Conant Science Building (99,700 square feet (9,260 m²)), but the plans changed, and instead most of the old building was demolished and replaced with an entirely new facility, which opened in 2011.

Additions to Pope and Scott Halls opened in fall 2009, increasing their capacity by 150 beds each.

Renovations and additions to the Rondileau Campus Center (RCC) began in spring 2013 and were finished by December. The project cost the school more than $3.5 million and included lowering the main entrance on Park Avenue to street level, with the stairs being replaced by ramps for improved accessibility, installation of larger, more energy-efficient windows and doors, and interior upgrades.

In April 2014, construction began on a new Welcome Center on Plymouth Street. The building will be a two-story, 15,000-square-foot facility, and iot will house the undergraduate, graduate, and transfer admissions offices, along with the university's financial aid offices. Construction of the Welcome Center was completed in the Spring of 2015.

Renovations and additions to Woodward Hall began in June 2014 and finished shortly before the Fall 2014 semester commenced. The renovation included the installation of new floors, ceilings and walls, along with new bedroom furniture and the installation of an elevator & entrance stairs.

East Campus

Crimson Hall, a new 400-bed residence hall on the East Campus, opened in the fall of 2007.

The College has constructed a new 600-space parking area, the Tower Lot, behind the Operations Center. The lot where the new residence hall is being built was a 1,000-spot parking lot. The new building has taken 400 of those 1,000. The Tower Lot has been built in an attempt to regain some parking spots lost during the construction, however available parking on campus continues to be a tremendous issue for both resident and commuter students.

There has been a discussion of building a fine and performing arts center in the distant future.

A new residence hall, Weygand Hall, was constructed on East Campus in 2013. The building uses geothermal and solar energy to minimize energy usage.

The roughly 200-space parking lot next to the MBTA railroad underpass on East Campus has been converted into a park to balance the construction of a parking garage behind Crimson Hall. Construction on the park was completed in late 2012.

Cape Cod campus

In November 2013, the university announced plans to open a satellite campus on Cape Cod. The opening of this satellite campus will help accommodate the high number of students who commute daily to the main campus from Cape Cod. Approximately 600 Bridgewater State students reside on or commute from Cape Cod to the main campus in Bridgewater. The campus will be located in the former MacArthur School in South Yarmouth, Massachusetts. This satellite campus opened in January 2015, offering undergraduate and graduate courses in Early Childhood Education, Educational Leadership, Secondary Education, Reading, and Special Education, along with certificate programs in Business and Social Work. The campus will also offer a number of undergraduate credit courses in History beginning in Summer 2015.

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Academics

From Schools to Colleges

As of October 15, 2010, the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, the School of Science and Mathematics, the Ricciardi School of Business and the School of Graduate Studies, were all renamed colleges. In addition, the Department of Social Work was renamed the School of Social Work.

As of July 1, 2010, the former School of Arts and Sciences was split into the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and the School of Science and Mathematics.The College of Humanities and Social Sciences currently contains fifteen different departments, while the College of Science and Mathematics has six departments. The College of Education and Allied Studies has five different departments, and the Ricciardi College of Business has 3.

Ranking

According to Stateuniversity.com Bridgewater State University was ranked 723rd in the 2011 "Top 2000 Ranked Colleges" based on overall school score. The University's overall score has gone up 2.6% since 2010.

Bridgewater State University's is ranked in the 2012 edition of Best Colleges is Regional Universities (North), Tier 2 along with forty other colleges. Bridgewater State University is among America's oldest teacher education institutions, the first to have a building devoted to education of teachers.

Bridgewater continues today to lead in the preparation of educators as the largest producer of Massachusetts teachers, holding the highest national ranking available (Title II first quartile). It is one of seven universities accredit in Massachusetts for teacher education according to the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) The university is also accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, The National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC), the Board of Higher Education.

The University is placed among Tier 3 Master's Universities (North) by US News 2010 The University has 108 majors in 23 areas of studies starting with the popular education, aviation, psychology, accounting, criminal justice and many others. The university has 30 academic departments ranging from Accounting and Finance to Theatre and Dance. The Athletic Training program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE)

Bridgewater has an acceptance rate of 65.7%, a student to teacher ratio of 22:1 and has an average score of freshman student's having a retention rate of 79% It is the fourth cheapest state university when it comes to undergraduate in-state tuition.

Honors Program

To be accepted into the Honors Program, an upcoming freshman must have a high school GPA of 3.3 or higher, and once inducted, the student must maintain that 3.3. If the GPA were to fall below that mark, then he or she would be put on probation for a semester. However, if GPA were to fall below 2.7, then he or she would automatically be removed from the program.

More than eighty percent of the honors student's academic work is completed in non-honors classes. To graduate with honors, a student must have twelve honors credits. A regular honors course is three credits, and the honors colloquia are worth one credit but only meet once a week for fifty minutes. Once in junior year, a student must take departmental honors classes, which are classes that specify in his or her major.

The honors students receive numerous perks, such as their own section in the academic achievement center. There are five computers located in there, all hooked up to a color printer that is free. The honors students also enjoy private events such as a biannual dinner, a fall book club, and an honors thesis workshop for those who are beginning to work on their thesis.

Woodward Hall is also home to the residential Honors freshman community, who currently reside on floor 3. This is where many of the private events are planned and then staged in the basement.

Research

Undergraduate research

Adrian Tinsley Program The ATP allows and encourages students to perform research in math, science, education, or humanities, or design a work in writing, art, music, or theater, regardless of academic standing. Students can propose a research topic of interest to faculty, who will act as a mentor to refine the topic and carry out research. This can be done within the semester, with financial aid to buy equipment and materials, or over an extended period during the summer with additional financial aid.

Travel grants are offered to students that have the opportunity to present their work outside of campus, with travel, housing, and food expenses covered by financial aid. The NCUR (National Conference for Undergraduate Research) program is one travel option, with expenses covered, that has given many students the chance to share and view work with other students from all over the world.

Undergraduate research provides students with the skills necessary for life beyond college. Hands-on experience can be written on a resume and taken directly into a field. Even if the project does not receive an award or scholarship, the mentor that assisted the research is a guaranteed reference for any future pursuit. The benefits of undergraduate research far outweigh the difficulty involved, and help students begin a successful career.

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Grants and Sponsored Projects

Faculty, staff, and librarians request significant sums of money each year to fund proposed research. In the past, such projects have proved beneficial to the university by receiving substantial monetary awards.

Funding Requested per Year

2009 $3,848,873

2010 $7,451,097

2011 $6,312,898

Average Award Amounts per Year

2009 $33,431.34

2010 $40,243.10

2011 $43,223.00

Percentages Awarded per Year

2009 37%

2010 39%

2011 47%

Funding Received per Year and Funding Potential

2011 $605,122

Previous Years $282,150

Potential (Outstanding) $2,943,906

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Award Programs

In addition to requested funding, faculty may be awarded stipends to conduct significant research or monetary prizes for completed work.

The BSU Lifetime Faculty Research Award is presented to faculty that have shown significant research through books, journal articles, and other acceptable publications. Recipients receive a plaque and a check for $5000.

Each year, the Presidential Fellows Program grants two faculty members a budget of $10,000 to spend on travel and equipment over the course of a year. Priority is given to faculty that have done detailed work in the past, planned their year thoroughly in advance, and show immediate benefit to the University. Faculty on release for research are exempt from teaching.

The Class of 1950 Distinguished Faculty Research Award, established on the fiftieth reunion of the class of 1950, is awarded to faculty for works published in the previous year. The recipient receives a plaque and a check for $5000.

The Jordan D. Fiore Award for Social Justice, named after the history professor and 1940 alumnus, is given on an annual basis to faculty doing research in the social justice field. Recipients receive a plaque and $4500.

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Athletics

"Bridgewater State University has a strong athletic tradition." They compete at the NCAA Division III Level, BSU also are members of ECAC, MASCAC, and the Little East. The intercollegiate athletic program offers 21 varsity teams, including Basketball, Cross Country, Soccer,Swimming and diving, Tennis, Track and field, Baseball, Football, and Wrestling for men. As for the women's sports teams they include Basketball, Cross Country, Soccer, Swimming and diving, Tennis, Track and field, Field hockey, Lacrosse, Softball, and Volleyball.

BSU's mascot is Bristaco the Bear, and the school colors are red and white. "For generations of Bridgewater student-athletes, being a Bear has meant being part of a proud tradition built around lessons of teamwork, selflessness and integrity; lessons which have undoubtedly proven invaluable while in college and throughout their later lives.". Not only does Bridgewater State University offer intercollegiate athletics, but they also provide Intramural athletic programs, and Club sports program. Such as Cheerleading, several dance teams, Men's Lacrosse, Women's Rugby, Ultimate Frisbee, Soccer, Basketball, etc. BSU recently renovated the Swanson football field and resurfaced the track.

Bridgewater State University athletic performance has gradually improved over the years. The bears won the Smith Trophy for the best overall Athletic Department in the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference.

In addition to NCAA-sanctioned varsity sports, Bridgewater State supports 10 club sports through Campus Recreation, including cheerleading, dance team, equestrian, hip-hop team, ice hockey, men's lacrosse, outdoor adventure, ultimate frisbee, skiing, and women's rugby.

Football

The Bridgewater State football team has been one of the most successful athletic teams at the school since the program was started in 1960. Bridgewater State is a member of the MASCAC, which will be sponsoring football for the first time in its history beginning in 2013. Bridgewater State was formerly a founding member of the New England Football Conference from 1965 to 2012. The new MASCAC football conference will consist of nine schools. These member schools are Bridgewater State University, Fitchburg State University, Framingham State University, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Westfield State University, Worcester State University, Plymouth State University, UMass-Dartmouth, and Western Connecticut State University. Bridgewater State will begin MASCAC play in 2013.

Head coach Chuck Denune recently completed his 11th season at the helm in 2015. In 2012, the Bears ended the regular season with a 9-1 record and qualified for the NCAA Division III National Tournament with an at-large bid for the third time in the program's history. Bridgewater State also qualified for the NCAA Division III National Tournament in 1999 and 2000. The Bears lost in the first round of the 2012 NCAA Division III Tournament to Widener University of West Chester, Pennsylvania by a score of 44-14. The Bears football team finished the 2012 season with a 9-2 overall record and finished in 2nd place in the New England Football Conference standings. Bridgewater also hosted the 2011 (ECAC) Eastern College Athletic Conference Northeast Bowl and competed against Alfred University. Unfortunately, the Bears lost 41-10, and finished the 2011 season with a 7-4 record.

The most successful head football coach in Bridgewater State's history is Peter Mazzaferro. Coach Mazzaferro was the head football coach at Bridgewater from 1968-2004 (36 years) and is one of the most successful Division III football coaches in history. During his coaching tenure, he led the Bears to 2 NCAA D-III National Tournament appearances, 8 NEFC League Championships, 3 MASCAC Championships, and 2 ECAC Postseason appearances. With an overall coaching record of 209-157-11, Mazzaferro is the 57th winningest coach in NCAA College Football history, and he is regarded as a coaching legend in the New England region and is further regarded as one of the greatest Division III college football coaches of all-time.

Listed below are notable awards, accolades, and accomplishments the BSU football team have accumulated since the inception of the program in 1960. The Bears football team have only had 2 losing seasons since 1985 and have had 7 undefeated or 1-loss seasons in that same timeframe.

• NCAA Division III National Tournament Qualifier - 1999, 2000, 2012, 2016
• ECAC Postseason Qualifier - 1989, 1992, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2015
• ECAC Northeast Bowl Champions - 2005
• ECAC North Atlantic Bowl Champions - 2006
• NEFC League Champions - 1966, 1969, 1989, 1992, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000
• MASCAC League Champions - 2016

Women's Basketball

The Women's basketball team is also one of the more successful teams at Bridgewater State. They have been a regional power since their first season in 1982. Coach Bridgett Casey coached her 14th season at BSU. In 2007-2008, Bridgett guided the Bears to a 22-5 (.815) record and the program's first appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament since 1986. The woman's basketball team competes in the (ECAC) Eastern College Athletic Conference and the (MASCAC) Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference. The Lady Bears' basketball team has qualified for the NCAA D-3 Tournament every year since 2010, and are constantly a contender for the MASCAC Championship.

Accomplishments

• MASCAC Champions - 1984-85, 1985-86, 2007-08, 2009-10, 2011-12, 2012-13
• ECAC Playoff Qualifier - 1987-88, 2005-06
• NCAA D-III Qualifier - 1982-83, 1983-84, 1984-85, 1985-86, 1986-87, 2007-08, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13

Men's Basketball

Joe Farroba is the head coach of the Bridgewater State Men's basketball team. "Joe came to Bridgewater State and to the MASCAC as an assistant coach under former BSC Head Coach Mark Champagne in 1986." Coach Farroba has led the Bears to postseason play eight times, including the NCAA Division III Tournament in 1999, 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2011 (led by Maxwell Dolgin, Center). The Men's basketball team also participates in the (MASCAC) Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference, and the NCAA Division III tournament. The Bears basketball team has been one of the mosdt successful teams at Bridgewater in the last 30 years. They have won numerous league and conference championships and made several appearances in the NCAA D-3 National Tournament. They finished under .500 for the first time in 10 years in 2012-2013.

Accomplishments

• MASCAC Champions - 2008-09, 2009-10
• ECAC Playoff Qualifier - 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997,98
• NCAA D-III Qualifier - 1982-83, 1998-99, 2005-06, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11
• NCAA D-III Sweet Sixteen - 2008-09

Women's Lacrosse

The Lady Bears' Lacrosse team has statistically been the most successful athletic team in Bridgewater State's history. They have been one of the most dominant woman's lacrosse teams in the Northeast Region and have won dozens of championships and qualified for numerous NCAA Tournaments. The Lady Bears won the NEWLA regular season and tournament titles for the 7th straight season and advanced to the NCAA Division III Tournament in 2013.

Accomplishments

• NEWLA Champions - 1999, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
• ECAC Playoff Qualifier - 1986, 1987, 2000, 2002, 2007, 2008
• MASCAC Champions - 2013, 2014, 2015
• NCAA D-III Qualifier - 2003, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

Baseball

The Bridgewater State baseball team has been a dominant force in the New England region for decades. They have made dozens of postseason appearances and won several league and regional championships. Bridgewater State has one of the highest all-time winning percentages (.645) in the country. They have made it to the NCAA D-III World Series 3 times, and have placed in the Elite Eight twice there. They have also produced a handful of Division 3 All-Americans and All-Region players. Below is a list of accomplishments and accolades.

Accomplishments

• MASCAC Champions - 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2012
• ECAC Playoff Qualifier - 1987, 1988, 1993, 1994, 2005
• ECAC Playoff Champions - 1986
• NCAA D-III Qualifier - 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1997, 2011, 2012
• NCAA D-III New England Regional Qualifier - 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2011, 2012
• NCAA D-III New England Regional Champions - 1996
• NCAA D-III Mid-Atlantic Regional Champions - 1997
• NCAA D-III World Series - 1996 (3rd Place), 1997 (7th Place)

Campus Media

WBIM

WBIM-FM/91.5, (originally known as "We're Bridgewater Instructional Media") is one of the longest running and one of few fully student-run college radio stations in the Northeast and has been on the air since November, 1972. WBIM-FM specializes in up-and-coming artists, alternative rock, and indie rock. The station promotes the programs through Facebook, Twitter, and their website, which also streams the music live during every show.

Information Technology

Bridgewater State University has aggressively upgraded its technology in the last decade; it was recognized as a wired school by Yahoo! Internet Life magazine. The college was also named the 6th most unwired (i.e., wireless) campus in the USA by Intel. Nearly 100% of campus floorspace is covered by a 802.11g and 802.11a wireless network. Beginning in the fall of 2004, all freshmen students were required to have a laptop computer. The college has a special arrangement with Dell Computers for laptops, or students may purchase their own. Support (by fellow BSU students) and "loaner" laptops are provided at the Moakley Center and the Maxwell Library.

Special Features

Bridgewater State University is one of the few public colleges in the United States to have its own commuter train station (MBTA) directly on the campus grounds. The commuter station divides east and west campus while an underpass allows pedestrian traffic between, along with a railroad crossing on the edge of the campus.

Bridgewater State University is one of the few higher education institutions in New England to have its own dedicated transit system (established in January 1984). The system is student-operated with administrative support. Student supervisors train fellow students in their pursuit to obtain their Commercial Driver's License. The transit system operates transit buses, a coach bus, and a fleet of auxiliary vehicles. This service provides transportation for students, staff, visitors, and the surrounding community, on and off campus grounds.

Bridgewater State University has a student-run radio station, 91.5 WBIM FM.

Bridgewater State University has had its own student-run newspaper since 1927, called The Comment.

The Bridge, Bridgewater State University's student journal of literature and fine art, was established in 2004. The journal has won many national awards, including multiple Gold Crown and Gold Circle awards from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, and the 2006 and 2011 National Pacemaker Award for collegiate magazines from the Associated Collegiate Press.

Notable People

Alumni

• Warren G. Phillips, (B.A., M.A. in Teaching Physical Sciences, M.Ed. in Instructional Technology), teacher, inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame 2010
• Stephen Canessa, (Bachelor's degree), former member of the Mass. House of Representatives (served 2006-2011)
• Robert Correia, (MEd 1968), member of the Mass. House of Representatives (served 1977-2008). He is the former mayor of Fall River, Massachusetts having been elected to a single term in 2007.
• Jeff Corwin, (B.S.), actor, conservationist, producer, popular TV host
• Christopher Dijak, professional wrestler currently signed to Ring of Honor under the ring name of Donovan Dijak.
• Jeffrey Donovan, actor
• James H. Fagan, (B.A. 1969), member of the Mass. House of Representatives (1993-2011)
• Rebecca Field, part of the ensemble cast of October Road
• Amar Gamal, popular belly dancer, dance instructor
• Mark Goddard, actor, film writer
• Lou Gorman, (Master's degree), former general manager of the Boston Red Sox (1988-1993)
• Walter Harding, (B.S.), distinguished professor, prominent scholar
• Gayle McLaughlin, Mayor of the city of Richmond, California.
• Peter McNeeley, former professional heavyweight boxer
• Joan Menard, former member of the Massachusetts Senate (served 1999-2011) and former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (served 1979-1999)
• Cristina Nardozzi, Miss Massachusetts USA 2005
• Paul Melicharek, PIFL football player for the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks
• Ann Hobson Pilot, (hon. D.Mus), principal harpist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops
• Martin V. Pratt, member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
• Michael Ruehrwein, author of Mass Casualties
• Jason Schappert, aviator
• Frank Palmer Speare, (1889), first president of Northeastern University
• Robert Stack, actor and former host of Unsolved Mysteries
• Ken Stone, professional mixed martial artist
• David B. Sullivan, (MEd), member of the Mass. House of Representatives (served 1997-2013)
• Ruth Turner, pioneering marine biologist
• Karl Wiedergott, voice actor on The Simpsons

Faculty

• Elizabeth Englander, professor of psychology, director of the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center (MARC)
• Richard T. Moore, Massachusetts state senator
• Henry Shaffer, (film) art director, credited to The Exorcist III (1990) and Zits (1988)
• Richard Snee, Boston-area actor
• Dr. Steven Young, professor of music and director of choral activities

Source of the article : Wikipedia