Allison Doherty of Easton and Megan Riley of Raynham were ready to celebrate their new graduate degrees in special education even before Wednesday night’s ceremony began.
“Five and a half years later, we’re very happy,” Ms. Doherty said.
“And we both have jobs,” her friend, Ms. Riley, added.
The two women were among the roughly 500 students who received their master’s degrees and certificates of advanced graduate study during Bridgewater State University’s 11th annaul Graduate Commencement Convocation. (See additional photos.)
Presiding over his first such ceremony as president, Frederick W. Clark Jr. said he was honored to be among his fellow Bears on this evening. In his formal remarks, President Clark talked about “the Bridgewater way,” which, he said, can mean anything from holding the door for a fellow student to overcoming difficult obstacles in order to realize one’s dreams. He told the stories of a handful of students in the audience who had to go above and beyond in order to graduate. One of them was Ruben Ortiz of Brockton, who overcame some difficult life challenges to earn a BSU bachelor’s degree, and now a master’s degree in criminal justice.
And he’s not done yet.
This fall, Mr. Ortiz will head to the University of Tennessee in pursuit of his PhD. His younger brother will receive his undergraduate degree from BSU on Saturday, which led President Clark to note, “Ruben had doors opened for him and he’s already opening doors for others, including his brother.”
All the student success stories cited by the president in his remarks were, he said, “most definitely (examples of) the Bridgewater way.”
Bruce Bartlett, ’68, and Patricia (Quinn) Bartlett, ’67, of Duxbury, entrepreneurs and philanthropists, jointly delivered the ceremony’s keynote address. The couple met at Bridgewater State College and embarked on a lifelong journey together bound by a philanthropic spirit. Mrs. Bartlett earned her bachelor’s degree in health and physical education in 1967 and went on to teach and become certified in elementary education.
Mr. Bartlett graduated with a bachelor’s in mathematics and began a teaching career followed by work as a certified public accountant. Eleven years after graduation, he founded Bartlett Nuclear. Today, his company is known as BHI Energy and supplies mechanics for some of the largest windmill projects in the U.S.
In 2004, the couple launched The Bartlett Foundation, which has funded groundbreaking medical research, scholarships and other worthy programs. Included in their philanthropy has been generous support of Bridgewater State University and their alma mater honored these contributions with the naming of the Bartlett College of Science & Mathematics.
The couple was presented an honorary degree.
Mrs. Bartlett spoke first, and dedicated that degree to those who teach, be they BSU faculty or local classroom teachers past, present and future. “Teaching is more than a profession,” she said. “It’s a calling.”
After discussing her time at Bridgewater and meeting her husband on campus, Mrs. Bartlett reminded the graduates of what they’d accomplished.
“Today is a stepping stone… Bridgewater is part of that journey,” she said.
Mr. Bartlett during his turn at the podium also discussed his time at Bridgewater, and how the institution had come to mean so much to he and his wife. Mr. Bartlett also shared some wisdom that he said has stood him well: “The harder you work, the luckier you get.”
Doing the right thing in business pays dividends, Mr. Bartlett told the graduates, citing a few examples from his own life. He said this was something, among many other things, he learned during his time at Bridgewater. “Pat and I know that Bridgewater has contributed greatly to our success,” he said.
Also receiving an honorary degree was Dr. Kol Pheng, founder of Pannasatra University of Cambodia. Meanwhile, Dennis Carman, chief executive officer of the United Way of Greater Plymouth County, received the Distinguished Service Award.
Jordan Bates, ’13, of Centerville, who earned a Master of Education in School Counseling, addressed her fellow graduates, saying: “Imagine a world where your voice was heard, your efforts were acknowledged, and your time was valued. Imagine a space where you felt safe enough to make the necessary mistakes you needed to make in order to grow...” These words only partially described her experience in BSU’s College of Graduate Studies, Ms. Bates said.
Also, two major academic awards were presented at the ceremony. Mr. Ortiz, mentioned above, received the Distinguished Graduate Thesis Award for his work titled “War on Drugs: Examining the Effects on Social Disorganization and Crime in Cities.”
Linda Walenty-St. Laurent, who was awarded a Master of Education in Instructional Technology, earned the Distinguished Graduate Research-Project Award for her project, “Four-Year Impact of 1:1 iPad Use in Secondary School.” (Story and photos by John Winters, G’11, University News & Media)
