Career Services / en Mentorship Matters /stories/2025/mentorship-matters <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Mentorship Matters </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="2025-09-08T10:27:14-04:00" title="Monday, September 8, 2025 - 10:27" class="datetime">Mon, 09/08/2025 - 10:27</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>Partnership with McLean Hospital gives psychology majors a leg up in their field</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="2025-10-02T12:00:00Z" class="datetime">October 2, 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>As a first-generation student,&nbsp;<strong>Johanne Barthold</strong>, ’25, didn’t have the same roadmap as some of her peers when it came to navigating college.</p><p>“I never had any examples from anyone who went through this process before,” she said.</p><p>&nbsp;Johanne (in featured photo) initially started college in her 20’s but struggled and dropped out.</p><p>&nbsp;“I was going through my own trials and tribulations and just left school. I didn’t really know who to reach out to. I didn’t know I had support. I kind of regret that,” Johanne said. “I just didn’t have anyone to encourage me to keep going.”</p><p>&nbsp;Still, she had a desire to work in the mental health field and become a therapist. A little older and wiser, she decided to enroll at 51Թ and opted to study psychology with a minor in sociology.</p><p>&nbsp;This time around, she’s found a supportive environment, as well as an opportunity to participate in the Mentor, Empower, and Network to Optimize Representation (MENTOR) program, a partnership between BSU and McLean Hospital, a leader in behavioral and mental health care, an affiliated teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, and the flagship psychiatric hospital of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/en" target="_blank" title="https://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/en"><strong>Mass General Brigham</strong></a>&nbsp;integrated health care system. McLean Hospital is located in Belmont.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;BSU Psychology Lab and Internship Coordinator&nbsp;<strong>Fran Barth</strong>&nbsp;is the lead manager of the program that first launched in 2022.</p><p>&nbsp;“The purpose of the program is to improve representation in the mental health fields (clinical work, research, and administration) by offering connections between underrepresented students and professionals in the field,” Barth said.</p><p>&nbsp;With so many Bridgewater students being “first-gen,” the fear is they many lack a network in their chosen field to tap into. Barth added, “This program allows them to network in the field to learn more about various careers and opportunities and prepare for next steps (e.g., internships, jobs, and graduate school applications).”</p><p>&nbsp;Though the program does not include the mentee working on specific research, the contacts made are invaluable.</p><p>&nbsp;“The program allows students to network and have contacts and connections at the top psychiatric hospital in the world,” Barth said.</p><p>For Johanne, meeting with her McLean mentor has been a positive experience. Especially, for example, when applying to graduate schools, she was disappointed to learn she had been waitlisted at her top choice.</p><p>&nbsp;“I was emotional, and she [mentor] was comforting. She helped me problem-solve instead of staying in my emotions,” she said. “(My mentor) is really good with reaching out to me on a regular basis, checking in, answering any questions I might have.</p><p>&nbsp;Also enrolled in the program is psychology major&nbsp;<strong>Onyinyechukwuka Ashiedu</strong>, ’26. Having access to working professionals has boosted her confidence.</p><p>&nbsp;“Having someone that you can ask questions of, someone with knowledge in the field, people who know what they are talking about, puts me at ease,” she said. “It’s great having someone who has your best interest at heart, who is setting you up for success. It’s a really good program for BSU to offer.”</p><p>&nbsp;<strong>Anthony Ferraz</strong>, ’27, is also enrolled in the MENTOR program and wants to become a therapist, specifically working in impoverished communities.</p><p>&nbsp;His mentor has helped him better define a way to achieve this.</p><p>&nbsp;“My mentor gave me advice that helped me broaden my horizons,” he said. “I had a linear path but being able to talk to a (working professional) allowed me to explore more. I took different classes, got into research labs…my mentor has really helped me figure out exactly what I want to do.”</p><p>&nbsp;In September, the MENTOR program application process will begin. Emails will be sent out to all BSU psychology students.</p><p>&nbsp;“This is a great opportunity for anyone interested in research, clinical work, and possibly a PhD,” Barth said. “Anyone also interested in psychiatric nursing or working in a psychiatric hospital should apply. The hope is that by making these connections, undergraduates, who may otherwise have no one to help guide them, learn how to successfully prepare for careers in the field.”</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/johanne_barthold_photo_2_cropped.webp 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/johanne_barthold_photo_2_cropped.webp 705w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" width="705" height="457"> <source srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/johanne_barthold_photo_2_cropped.jpeg 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/johanne_barthold_photo_2_cropped.jpeg 705w" type="image/jpeg" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, (min-width: 768px) 33vw" width="705" height="457"> <img loading="lazy" srcset="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_470/public/media/article_featured_image/johanne_barthold_photo_2_cropped.jpeg 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/johanne_barthold_photo_2_cropped.jpeg 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/johanne_barthold_photo_2_cropped.jpeg" alt="A woman wearing a purple dress stands in front a green tree and poses for camera"> </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--321556 scroll-reveal box1 paragraph--view-mode--default" aria-label="testimonial content id-321556"> <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>The hope is that by making these connections, undergraduates, who may otherwise have no one to help guide them, learn how to successfully prepare for careers in the field.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p> </div> </div> </blockquote> <div class="field field--name-field-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> BSU Psychology Lab and Internship Coordinator Fran Barth </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/2794" aria-label="Related stories tagged Career Services" hreflang="en">Career Services</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 submitted by Johanne Barthold, '26 </div> </div> </div> </div> Mon, 08 Sep 2025 14:27:14 +0000 HHARRIS@bridgew.edu 783851 at Tailor Made for Success /stories/2024/tailor-made-success <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Tailor Made for Success </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="2024-12-17T12:51:39-05:00" title="Tuesday, December 17, 2024 - 12:51" class="datetime">Tue, 12/17/2024 - 12:51</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"> <div>Bear Essentials boutique helps students dress for job interviews</div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <time datetime="2024-12-19T12:00:00Z" class="datetime">December 19, 2024</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>There is no way around it, job interviews are stressful, that includes deciding what to wear.</p><p>This is particularly true for college students, who are looking to make a good first impression to secure an internship or get that first post-graduation job offer.</p><p>To help take this pressure off of students, 51Թ’s <a href="https://careers.bridgew.edu/blog/2024/10/02/introducing-the-new-bear-essentials-closet/" target="_blank" title="https://careers.bridgew.edu/blog/2024/10/02/introducing-the-new-bear-essentials-closet/" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span>Bear</span> <span>Essentials</span></a>, a boutique located in the Rondileau Student Union, offers free and gently used professional clothes.</p><p>“The main reason we are all at college is to land a job and part of landing that job is to dress and look the part,” said <strong>Janete Monteiro</strong>, ’25, “<span>Bear</span> <span>Essentials</span> really is impactful, it helps students sew it all together.”</p><p>Janete, a marketing major, serves as <span>Bear</span> <span>Essentials</span>’ ambassador. In this role, she promotes the program, takes in donations, helps organize the boutique, and assists students in finding the perfect outfit.</p><p>“Getting to see how excited other students get when they do find the right clothing, or relieved that they can go in and find something for a last-minute interview…Honestly, being part of anything where I get to help other people is right up my alley,” she said.</p><p><span>Bear</span> <span>Essentials</span> was first introduced at BSU in 2013 when Vice President of Outreach and Engagement <strong>Diane Bell</strong> and Associate Director of Career Services and Internship Program <strong>Carol Crosby </strong>recognized the need.</p><p>Initially a small closet was designated to house the donated clothing. Soon, however, word spread, and the program began to grow. That’s when former Bridgewater Alumni Association President <strong>Carrie Kulick-Clark</strong>, ’85, G’98, stepped in to help.</p><p>She rallied other alumni to donate clothing and began to organize bi-annual Dress for Success events, where students come and pick out outfits that fit their personal styles.</p><p>Over the years, these events have gained in popularity. During the most recent Dress for Success event held in October Kulick-Clark said 381 students walked through the doors.</p><p>“Watching the students get excited about clothing and fashion…it’s just amazing to watch their faces, to see how transformative (the experience) is,” she said.</p><p>Along the way Kulick-Clark also met <strong>Katie Muldoon</strong>, marketing and program coordinator for Career Services &amp; Internships. Together they’ve continued to move the program forward.</p><p>“It’s just amazing to watch it morph into what it is today. Carrie and Katie have really taken it, and blossomed it into something awesome,” Crosby said.</p><p>During this year’s homecoming weekend, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to celebrate the rebranded <span>Bear</span> <span>Essentials</span> Closet’s new location in RSU 104, next to the council chambers.</p><div data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="5347c611-f9f9-4020-ac96-a2afb88c1c0b" data-embed-button="media_entity_embed" data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:media.image_330x240" data-entity-embed-display-settings="[]" class="align-left embedded-entity" data-langcode="en"> <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-330x240 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-977ad362e24" class="media media--blazy media--image is-b-loading"><img alt="group of people stand before a giant ribbon, smiling and ready to cut the ribbon" decoding="async" class="media__element b-lazy" loading="lazy" data-src="/sites/bridgew/files/styles/330x240/public/media/images/Bear%20Essentials%20imbedded%20photo.jpg?h=170ba4b8" src="/sites/bridgew/files/media/images/image-loading.gif"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p>The new space offers a VIP experience, where students can come, try on clothes in a private changing room, and get fashion tips from Katie, Carrie, or other volunteers.</p><p>Accessing the <span>Bear</span> <span>Essentials</span> Closet is easy. Students can stop by career services and internship offices in the RSU, M-F, between 9a.m.-4:30p.m. to access the closet. All that’s needed is a BSU connect card.</p><p>Students can then browse for 30 minutes to pick out articles of clothing to create a professional outfit they get to keep free of charge. Before leaving, students just need to check out back at the career services and internship office.</p><p>“We want every student to know they have access to the closet, that they should use it. We want students to look good, to feel good. Clothing can be so expensive, this helps to take the burden off,” Muldoon said.</p><p>“It’s more than just clothing,” Kulick-Clark said. “It changes the way students view themselves. It provides them with the confidence they need to be successful.”</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> </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/bear_eseentials_main_photo_for_story_.webp 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/bear_eseentials_main_photo_for_story_.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/bear_eseentials_main_photo_for_story_.jpg 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/bear_eseentials_main_photo_for_story_.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/bear_eseentials_main_photo_for_story_.jpg 470w, /sites/bridgew/files/styles/article_featured_image_max_705/public/media/article_featured_image/bear_eseentials_main_photo_for_story_.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/bear_eseentials_main_photo_for_story_.jpg" alt="A woman stands smiling while looking at a rack of clothing "> </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--239246 scroll-reveal box1 paragraph--view-mode--default" aria-label="testimonial content id-239246"> <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>The main reason we are all at college is to land a job and part of landing that job is to dress and look the part. <span>Bear</span> <span>Essentials</span> really is impactful, it helps students sew it all together.</p> </div> </div> </blockquote> <div class="field field--name-field-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Janete Monteiro, ’25 </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/2794" aria-label="Related stories tagged Career Services" hreflang="en">Career Services</a> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-credit field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Photos by Kendall French, '26 </div> </div> </div> </div> Tue, 17 Dec 2024 17:51:39 +0000 HHARRIS@bridgew.edu 254201 at The Job Ahead /stories/2023/job-ahead <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">The Job Ahead</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="2023-09-18T14:48:13-04:00" title="Monday, September 18, 2023 - 14:48" class="datetime">Mon, 09/18/2023 - 14:48</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"> Meet new director of Career Services and the&nbsp;Internship&nbsp;Program&nbsp;Office </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-article-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <time datetime="2023-09-19T12:00:00Z" class="datetime">September 19, 2023</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>Growing up in Hong Kong, Dr. <strong>Gerald Tang</strong> attended schools where test scores played an outsized role in dictating a student’s future. After immigrating to America, he discovered a higher education system focused more on helping students discover their passions.</p> <p>Tang embraced that sense of exploration as a student and professional.</p> <p>“My true calling is helping people understand their skillsets and interest in what they want to do,” said Tang, who immigrated to the U.S. with his family as a teenager.</p> <p>Tang sees 51Թ as a great place to continue that mission as the first executive director of <a href="/bsu-works">Career Services and the Internship Program Office</a>. He looks forward to uniting the two in order to enhance support for students and alumni.</p> <p>“The community cares about student success,” Tang said of an initial observation of BSU. “Bridgewater is a great institution.”</p> <p>Tang comes to BSU with more than 15 years of experience in higher education, including most recently serving as the inaugural assistant dean for career integration at St. Francis College in New York City.</p> <p>As a first-generation student, Tang found supportive mentors during his undergraduate years who shaped his educational and career journey. Even back then, he served his peers as an orientation leader, resident assistant and career development intern.</p> <p>“I now understand what it takes to help students be successful in their college experience and professional experience as well,” he said.</p> <p>Tang is excited to work for a university with strong academic programs that is committed to innovation and social justice. He looks forward to larger conversations with employers about what comprises a living wage and ways to achieve a more diverse workforce.</p> <p>“Our work isn’t just about short-term change,” he said. “Our hope is (to create) systemic changes across society at large.”</p> <em>Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email <a href="mailto:stories@bridgew.edu">stories@bridgew.edu</a>.</em> </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/tang1.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/tang1.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/tang1.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/tang1.jpg" alt="Gerald Tang stands in a hallway below a BSU Works sign"> </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--210451 scroll-reveal box1 paragraph--view-mode--default" aria-label="testimonial content id-210451"> <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"> My true calling is helping people understand their skillsets and interest in what they want to do. </div> </div> </blockquote> <div class="field field--name-field-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> Dr. Gerald Tang </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/bsu-works" aria-label="Related stories tagged BSU Works" hreflang="en">BSU Works</a> </div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/2765" aria-label="Related stories tagged Internships" hreflang="en">Internships</a> </div> <div class="field__item"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/2794" aria-label="Related stories tagged Career Services" hreflang="en">Career Services</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 Mackenzie Rubitschung, '21 </div> </div> </div> </div> Mon, 18 Sep 2023 18:48:13 +0000 BBENSON@bridgew.edu 250296 at