The 2015 Alumni Awards Dinner was held on Friday evening, September 25, in the Rondileau Campus Center, with Jason Stocker, ’04, president of the Bridgewater Alumni Association presiding along with Eugene Durgin, chairman of BSU’s Board of Trustees.
President Frederick W. Clark Jr. was on hand to offer welcoming remarks. In his comments to an audience of more than 200 in the ballroom, he said, “Thank you all for being here this evening and on behalf of myself and my wife Carrie, who is also a Bridgewater graduate, I want to thank you for inviting us because we love coming to anything that’s alumni related. Our hearts, our minds, our energy and our passion are all centered on this, our alma mater.”
The president offered his congratulations to each of the 2015 recipients and said, “This looks to me like an all-star team and we’re very proud of you.”
He said that two weeks ago on September 9, when the university celebrated the start of its 175th anniversary year with a gala celebration, a number of alums came back to participate, many of them visiting campus for the first time in a number of years.
“One graduate told me that when he got off the train in the Bridgewater station, he wasn't sure where he was because the campus had changed so much he did not recognize it. Physically, of course, we’re a much larger institution, but all the wonderful qualities of campus life and commitment to academic excellence that you remember and admire about Bridgewater are still the same,” the president said. “Talking to those alumni that day I found it interesting how many told me what a profound difference Bridgewater had made in their lives,” the president continued. “A good percentage of them had struggled financially to pay their way through, often working one or more part-time jobs to do so, but the success they enjoy today made those sacrifices worthwhile.”
Now, President Clark said, “It’s our turn to employ our knowledge, our talent and our resources on behalf of today's Bridgewater students, to help the next generation profit from all the benefits of the education they’re able to receive here, the benefits we enjoyed.”
He called upon the alumni present to accept his challenge in this regard.
“I’m hoping that each of you, including our award winners, will find a way to connect with our students and offer them your support and encouragement. As much or more as we needed that network when we were students, those who attend Bridgewater today will truly value and appreciate whatever you and I can do to pave the way forward for them.”
A total of eight awards were presented following the dinner portion of the program. The recipients were:
The 2015 Dr. George A. Weygand, ’53, G ’56, Award for Outstanding Service to the Bridgewater Alumni Association was presented to Judith DeFilippo, class of 1962, who is a former board member of the Bridgewater Alumni Association. She is an educator, author and co-author of 14 ESL textbooks. She was introduced by Jacqueline Bouchard Fitzpatrick, also a member of the class of ’62, and a member of the board of directors of the Bridgewater Alumni Association.
The 2015 Dr. Catherine E. Comeau Award for Professional Achievement was presented to Jeffrey Colburn, ’95, a physical education teacher at the Beatrice Wood Elementary School in Plainville. Mr. Colburn was introduced by Donna Medeiros, ’86, G ’01, G ’05, president of the Hyannis-Bridgewater Physical Education Alumni Association.
The 2015 Afro-American Alumni Association Award was presented to Dorie Aucoin, ’76, G ’79, assistant director of the Academic Achievement Center and the 1997 recipient of the Martha D. Jones Award for Outstanding Dedication to Students. Ms. Aucoin was introduced by Michael Henry, ’92, president of the Afro-American Alumni Association.
The 2015 Dr. Adrian Tinsley Award for Achievement in the Arts was presented to Denise Wallace Spriggs, ’84, a lecturer in theater at the College of Fine Arts at Boston University, and also crafts/artisan dyer at the Huntington Theater Company. She was introduced by Kathy Moore Flaherty, ’91, past secretary, Bridgewater Alumni Association, and a member of the board of directors as well as the chair of the Alumni Awards Committee.
The 2015 Dr. Adrian Rondileau Award for Professional Achievement was presented to Dr. Claire Appling, ’54, G ’57, who is a former Brockton High School headmaster and the 2014 recipient of the James Edgar Community Service Award and the 2013 Dr. Glenn Miller Award for Outstanding Achievement in Geography Education. Dr. Appling was introduced by Alicia Andruk Boucher, ’54, a member of the Bridgewater Alumni Association Scholarship Committee as well as the Class of 1954 Reunion Committee.
The 2015 recipient of the Nicholas P. Tillinghast Award for Achievement in the Field of Education was presented to Dr. Lisa Battaglino, ’79, who is the dean of the College of Education and Allied Studies, and a 2008 recipient of the BSU Presidential Fellowship Award. Dr. Battaglino was introduced by Donald Smith, ’59, G ’62, a member of the Bridgewater Alumni Association board of directors.
The 2015 Martha D. Jones, ’64, Award for Outstanding Dedication to Students was presented to Rita Camara, ’03, G ’10, assistant director of assignments, Bridgewater State Residence Life and Housing, and the 2000 recipient of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Citation for Outstanding Performance. Ms. Camara was introduced by Dr. Beth Moriarty, past recipient of the Martha D. Jones ’64 Award for Outstanding Dedication to BSU students. She is currently the director of Residence Life and Housing at Bridgewater.
The 2015 recipient of the Dr. Marilyn White Barry, ’58, Graduate Alumni Award was presented to U.S. Coast Guard Captain Michael Day, G ’98, who is the sector commander and captain of the port, U.S. Coast Guard, New York City. Captain Day was introduced by William Walker, ’72, G ’75, past member of the Bridgewater Alumni Association’s board of directors. (Story and photos by David K. Wilson,’71)
