Friday, September 3, 2010

Class of 2014: Knock 'em dead!

The Class of 2014 gathered on Boyden Quad on Wednesday, September 1st for their class photo. This was a truly amazing day to be a part of the BSU community as we brought a new group of Bridgewater Bears into this exciting academic community.

We expect great things to come! Enjoy your year!
Posted by Picasa

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Summer Vacation

What's IN at BSC?

Summer is IN and the blog is on hiatus. If you really want to know what we're up to...hop over to the Orientation blog at off2bsc.wordpress.com and you'll see what we're putting out there for our incoming freshmen and transfers.

See you in August, blogosophere!

Your friends in OSIL

Friday, May 7, 2010

Impact of Involvement: Part 2 of a series

by Kara Crosson, Bridgewater's Best Recipient
The four Bridgewater's Best recipients will offer blog posts in the days prior to Commencement.  We congratulate them on being recognized with this top leadership award!

Fall of 2007 – sophomore year – I had just celebrated my one year anniversary as an Event Coordinator for Conference and Events Services and was fresh out of Resident Assistant training. I was ready to take on the world. Or rather, the world known as Bridgewater State College. Event Coordinating was fun but I was ready to be on the other side of things – the ones actually planning events instead of just making sure Sodexho had the food delivered on time. 

I took the plunge and with the encouragement of my CESO boss I took part in the Leadership Institute through the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership. This program matched me up with a mentor – Gael DeIuliis, the Event Coordinator for the Office of Student Affairs. Gael and I spoke about the major experiences I wanted to get out of my time at BSC – getting involved, studying abroad and community service. I expressed my desire to take part in the Semester at Sea study abroad program but I was nervous to leave the BSC community for an entire semester. It was Gael who told me about the Bridgewater-at-Oxford program which took place over the summer. I looked into the program and realized it fit all of my dreams. This one month journey took place at Wadham College which is one of the 35 universities that makes up the prestigious Oxford University. I quickly applied and was honored to be given the opportunity to travel with a group of students to England. After finishing up my first experience as an Orientation Leader I boarded a plane only four days later for my first trip overseas! While abroad we experienced firsthand Stonehenge, day trips to London, and a play at the Globe Theatre among many other adventures. This trip allowed me to learn so much about myself, my classmates, and another country. Back in Bridgewater I was constantly telling stories about my trip or daydreaming of riding the London Eye. 

BSC has an amazing Office of Study Abroad and I encourage everyone to check out the programs they offer. Whether you are looking for a year/semester exchange, a summer program or even a week long study tour this office has it all. Through all my experiences at BSC each one stands out for their own reason and I wouldn’t change any of them. Whatever you do, whether it be SGA or Circle K find what you’re passionate about and follow your heart. 

There’s no looking back in college so you might as well start now!
 

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Impact of Involvement: Part 1 of a series

by Daniel Kent, Bridgewater's Best Recipient
The four Bridgewater's Best recipients will offer blog posts in the next weeks prior to Commencement. We congratulate them all on being honored with this distinction!

Words cannot explain how much achieving this honor means to both my family and me. I must say I wasn’t involved in high school in any clubs or organizations. The best thing I did for myself was transfer to Bridgewater, both through involvement and supportive faculty I found my path. My first glimpse at service at Bridgewater was through Circle K; I went to the Out of the Darkness walk in Boston. I remember meeting Jen Kelly then President and Peter Balboni, Vice President. Jen showed me the importance of civic engagement so I joined and actively attended community service opportunities. Peter introduced me to Kappa Delta Phi Fraternity; I saw both his commitment to community service and thought I could bring that passion even further. I had no idea what was in store for me until Peter introduced me to Jonathan White a Sociology professor. Jonathan White’s commitment to Social Justice introduced me to the growing problem of Homelessness. He inspired me work on Halloween for Hunger. A canned food drive held on Halloween where students instead of trick’ or treating for candy, instead picked up canned food items. It was then that I realized I could become a leader on this campus and make a difference. It was inspiring seeing the impact we had on our community and now after having done seven canned food drives over the last 3 years I realize they have been my favorite part of getting involved.

Thanks,
Daniel Kent

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Who's my dean... and why should I care?

by Cindy Kane, Director of Student Involvement and Leadership

Calling all BSC students! A big piece of your academic leadership on campus will be changing in the coming year and YOU have the chance to influence it.

There is a search process underway that will bring us a new Dean for Humanities and Social Sciences and a new Dean for Science and Mathematics. You may be wondering... so what does that have to do with me?

Deans make big decisions around here. They hire faculty. They make budget decisions. They develop policies for your school. This is something students should care about because BSC's academic programs depend on strong leadership from the dean.

Want to voice your opinion on who gets hired? You can! Each candidate gets a meeting with a group of students and YOU can be part of that group. Just show up. Seriously, it's that easy.

Here's the list of times, days and locations that we know of right now. (there will be more schedule information available soon) You can get all of this great information on this website: http://www.bridgew.edu/Searches/Dean/

See you there!

Wednesday, April 14th 3:45 – 4:30, Heritage Room (Maxwell Library)
Dr. William Rosa, Candidate for Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences

Thursday, April 15th 12:45 – 1:30, Heritage Room (Maxwell Library)
Dr. Jacquelyn Klipatrick, Candidate for Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences

Friday, April 16th 4:15 – 5:00, Heritage Room (Maxwell Library)
Dr. Melkamu Zeleke, Candidate for Dean of Science and Mathematics

Wednesday, April 21 4:00 – 4:45, Heritage Room (Maxwell Library)
Dr. Arthur Goldstein, Candidate for Dean of Science and Mathematics

Friday, April 23 4:15 – 5:00, Heritage Room (Maxwell Library)
Dr. Robert Hillborn, Candidate for Dean of Science and Mathematics

Friday, April 2, 2010

Calling all movie stars! Any directors out there?


Calling all movie stars!!! by guest blogger Kara Crosson

Have you ever dreamed of seeing yourself on the big screen? Do you sit in class and picture your life a major motion picture?

If you answered yes to any of these questions I have good news for you – Campus MovieFest is back at Bridgewater State College! This amazing opportunity gives you all the tools and resources you need to create a five minute film. Now I’m sure you have questions but luckily you’ve come to the right place.

What exactly is Campus Movie Fest?
CMF is a student film festival where students can get together to produce films of any genre and style. All of the necessary materials are provided by CMF for free! I’m talking Apple Computer laptops and digital camcorders, the whole ordeal … (you must return them at the end of the program though, sorry folks). You have one week to film and edit then it’s show time! All the student films will be judged by a secret panel and the top 16 will be shown during SpringFest on Wednesday April 21st at 8:00 in the RCC Ballroom. Movies are then chosen for the regional and international grand finales!

What if I don’t know how to operate the technology?
No problem! CMF will be on campus the entire week of filming to answer any questions and to work with you through the software.

Does everyone have to be a BSC student?
All you need is one BSC friend and you are ready to start! Each team must have at least two BSC students and anyone else you’d like to partake in your adventure.

How do I sign up?
Glad we got you hooked!  Visit www.campusmoviefest.com for even more information. You can register right on their website CMF staff is on campus until Thursday, April 1st (this is no April Fools joke) and you can find them in the RCC or in ECC from 10:00am – 2:00pm.

Is all of this starting to sound familiar? You may be thinking of the success CMF had last year at BSC. Alex Perry wrote and directed this film which premiered at BSC then went on to win Best Picture at CMF 2009 Northern Regional Grand Finale and Best Comedy and the CMF 2009 International Grand Finale. If you haven’t seen “Scrabble” you are definitely missing out. Become a fan on Facebook of “Scrabb1e: The Motion Picture” and check out the movie on youtube 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gn56fnpzYgs This had me laughing for days and I can’t wait to see what they have planned for this year!

Are you ready for CMF? Look around on their website and find out some more information then get to the drawing board! Launch is April 7th in the RCC lower foyer from 12:00pm – 5:00pm. Tech support will be available April 8th, 9th, and 12th while you work away at your film. Stop by RCC room 209 from 12:00 – 4:00pm with any questions you may have. Collection will be April 13th back in the lower foyer of RCC from 2:00-6:00pm. Then sit back and relax now that your hard work is over. Join fellow filmmakers and peers for the Finale April 21st

BSC is lucky to participate in such an amazing event. This gives you the opportunity to let the creative juices flow, to unleash a talent you didn’t know you had, and to represent BSC!
Can’t wait to see you there!

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Relax, it's JUST a presentation......

Hey Bloggers!

So how many of you have presentations coming up before the end of semester? How many of you had presentations and maybe they didn't go so well? Well, I found this great article that may help you make your presentation run a bit more smoothly. I won't lie, I get nervous myself at the thought of presentations and I'm okay with saying that because it's a common feeling amongst a lot of people. However, after reading the article Worst Mistakes People Make in a Presentation I now think I can make any future presentations more successful.

The three mistakes that the author of the article focuses on are:
1. believing in magic
2. memorizing your speech
3. talking about yourself
After pin pointing each mistake the author offers a way to avoid them. Trust me it's definitely worth your time to read this short but helpful article!

By the way this is how I found the article. I have a twitter account, catmartins 28 you may follow me if you would like, and I got an e-mail notification that frsharticles started following me. So I checked them out and it's this website with a TON of articles about a variety of topics. If you don't have twitter yet then I highly suggest you create an account!! You never know what cool things you'll stumble upon!

www.fresharticl.es/business/management/worst-mistakes-people-make-in-a-presentation

PS. If you aren't following already or want to... inBSC is OSIL's twitter username!

Cat :)

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Hello Fellow Bears

Last weekend PC and the Student Weekend Activities Team (SWAT) cosponsored Bingo with a beach theme at the Crimson Café. Fun was had by all and beach accessories were among the repertoire of prizes. On Saturday SWAT held the Crimson Trivia Challenge, Congratulations to the winners our next Trivia Challenge will be on April 10th.

This weekend come see The Blind Side (2009) the story of Michael Oher, a homeless and traumatized boy who became an All American football player and first round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring woman and her family.

This event is sponsored by Program Committee, Commuter Student Association and the Student Weekend Activity Team. This event starts at 7:00 pm in the Campus Center Council Chambers on the Second floor. There will be door prizes, from snuggies to dream blankets. Also included is free food including ice cream sundaes, and Mash Potatoes’ Bar with chicken and more.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Bear-ific Interview :)

Howdy! Remember the Bear-ific interviews? Well, if you don't remember or don't know what they are about then you are in for a little treat. Every week I interview either a student or staff member and then I get to share the interview with you guys! This week I got to interview Peter Quinn, I'd tell you more about him but you can just go ahead and find out for yourself. All of his answers are in blue.. enjoy :)


Name: Peter Quinn


Nickname: Max


Year: Senior


Major: Business



Three things you didn't know about Max until now:


1. I was named Who's Who Among College Students by Bridgewater State College along with about 10 others in 2010.


2. Turned 22 March 5th !


3. I had an article written about me in February for The Comment!



There isn't anything that true love can't fix.



How are you involved on campus?


President - Interfraternity Council (IFC)


New Member Educator - Sigma Pi


Brother of Sigma Pi Fraternity International


Student Program Advisor - On-campus job through OSIL


Greek Week Committee - Treasurer



My favorite sport is Ice Hockey! USA IS #1!



How can your personality be best described?


A. Dorky


B. Fun


C. Timid


D. Loud


E. Other: ____



My favorite class so far has been Drawing 1, because the Professor, Tim Bailey, made it fun and exciting to learn how to draw. I can significantly draw much better than before! Never had more fun than in this class!



One of my favorite memories here at BSC so far is pledging my Fraternity: Alpha Rho Pledge Class.



I am _____'s #1 fan:


A. New England Patriots


B. Indianapolis Colts


C. New Orleans Saints


D. Pittsburgh Steelers


E. Other: Boston Bruins



My favorite kind of food is:


A. Italian


B. Chinese


C. American


D. Crimson Dining


E. Other: _______



So what did you guys think?! Leave all of your comments, or questions you may have for Max!



P.S. One of the prizes of this contest is that you get to be interviewed :)


Cat :)



BLOG CONTEST INFO :)

HELLOOOOOOOO FELLOW BLOGGERS.. it's time to spice up this blog and have a contest this week :) Here is how you can participate:

1. Become a fan of Office of Student Involvement and Leadership on Facebook
2. Under Discussions, leave a comment with your name so I know you are participating
3. Get started and start racking up some points:
  • commenting on the posts on the blog - 2 point
  • tagging OSIL in your Facebook status - 1 point
  • answering questions correctly - 2 points
  • suggest topics to be talked about on the blog - 1 point
  • for every person you get to be a fan of OSIL on Facebook and/or to participate in the contest you get 1 point

Have fun and Good Luck!

Cat :)

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Leading and serving

I can't believe it's already time to talk about nominations for the Impact Awards! The ceremony isn't until April 29th, but the nominations are due April 5th.

With this event coming so quickly, I've been thinking a lot about how leadership and service connect and combine and how proud I am of so many BSC students and colleagues who have mastered this combination.

When you think of service, what comes to mind?

Do you think of serving food at a soup kitchen or building houses for Habitat for Humanity over Spring Break? I certainly do. I think of the countless hours that our fraternity and sorority groups contribute to national and local agencies and the amazing amount of fundraising that our Relay for Life participants have raised for the American Cancer Society at our event this upcoming weekend.

Service can also be seen in a different light here on campus. How about the students who put together the Lunar New Year celebration? They did it to teach us about the culture and provide an enjoyable experience for us as members of the BSC community. What about the students who participate as part of the Bridgewater Involvement Grant committee to offer a student perspective on which programs should receive funding? What about members of the Panhellenic Association? All of the students mentioned are contributing to the community with a goal of making life better for others. Of course, the level of need is different and the situations can not compare, but the motivation and drive to serve has a lot of similarities.

No matter what community you choose to serve, we host the Impact Awards each year to celebrate your contributions!

When you think of leadership, what comes to mind?

Did you think of organizations like student government or a group project in class where someone "takes the lead" to get your project up and going? I definitely do! Watching everyday "acts of leadership" on this campus is easy. It's evident in every campus event we see, in every meeting you attend, and in every course you take. You can see leadership every time a group of friends is trying to figure out what to do on a weekend and every time a faculty member is trying to think of a new approach to help students understand a key concept.

More traditional "service" activities are also outstanding examples of leadership. Unfortunately, these volunteers are often the "unsung" leadership heroes and we're hoping that the Impact Awards can bring these hardworking students to get some recognition they so sincerely deserve. Think about the leadership skills needed to motivate a group to keep clearing out a park trail in bad weather. What happens when you are faced with a choice between participating in a service project with your organization OR going out with your friends. There's some values-based decision making that needs to happen in that situation, right?

Leadership and service are interconnected and we are ready to celebrate all of the great work by BSC students and colleagues. Are you willing to help someone get the recognition they deserve?

It's time to nominate. Here's your chance: Impact Awards Nomination

Friday, March 5, 2010

HOO-HA

Friend of the Day, Hoo-HA

If you ever walk by OSIL and hear a commotion; high-pitched singing, dancing, clapping, and/or shouting, it’s probably Friend of the Day!

The idea of “Friend of the Day” started in the first office staff meeting of the year, as a way to encourage people to enter the office, make new-comers feel welcome, and just have fun. How it works is the front desk workers pick a random time and write it down, the first person to enter the office at or after that time is the Friend of the Day and gets a decorated bag of treats!
When we first started out it was one of the most awkward experiences, for both the “Friend of the Day” and the front desk staff. Before the lovely dĂ©but of our Friend of the Day song, we would try and clap and get excited but it would just end up being uneventful.

THEN, I found this song on youtube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SznTY0UJlWY ! We time it so when the friend of the day walks through the door this song is blasted! My first trial-run I think I scared the student; she was taken aback and seemed frightened of me…I wonder why?

So when you hear “Hoo-HA…Hoo-HA, NaNaNaNaNa” you might be the “Friend of the Day.”

Get Pumped!


-- Rachel Wesley, Front Desk Worker for OSIL

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Springfest announcement is here@

Hope you got the chance to see the PC Press Conference video here!  Looking forward to a great Springfest 2010!

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Funtanstic Weekend!

Last Friday, Program Committee co-sponsored with the Student Weekend Activities Team for Student Spotlight. On Saturday we hosted the Twilight series hit, New Moon, it was a big hit and to all of those who attended, thank you for coming!

This weekend has two major events. On Friday at 8:00 pm in the Crimson CafĂ© bring your friends and sing at Karaoke. On Saturday the highly anticipated Crimson Trivia Challenge is taking place in the Crimson CafĂ© too! Come at 7pm the three themes of the night are Sports Trivia, History, and Movie’s. Bring your thinking cap and friend’s because it’s surely to be a great night!

Dan

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Awesome College, Awesome People

Hey guys! It's been a while..I know :( But I would just like to take a moment to tell you as to how much of an awesome school we attend. Tomorrow you will read the post from S.W.A.T. to tell you what fun stuff they have planned for you this weekend, and they never fail to impress. This past weekend they showed New Moon, the second movie of the Twilight Saga, which I attended, as well as my best friend from home who came all the way from Boston. There were snacks and drinks and it was a great turn out. The movie of course was amazing, and a ton of awesome prizes were given out. So just make sure to come back tomorrow to see what exciting things they have planned for you!



What I would really like to talk to you guys about is how Refined Movement is selling raffle tickets. Yes, they have some awesome prizes for whoever wins but all of this is for a special cause. By buying a raffle ticket, which I just did for $1, you will not only be eligible to win a prize but you will also be donating to Haiti. What the people in Haiti are going through is unimaginable, I can't personally relate but I am willing to take part in anything that will benefit them. It's great to see our school supporting Haiti, and now you have a chance to take part in this as well! Tickets can be bought in the RCC until this Thursday!

Cat :)

Friday, February 19, 2010

On the Way Down!

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending a conference with four of BSC’s student leaders. It was the National Convention for the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) and while we were there, we got to see a performance by Ryan Cabrera. A song of his inspired the title of this blog post. Our conference experience also ended with me falling/sliding down a set of stairs (long story, but I’m ok, thanks for asking!). So I thought I would use some of these fun thoughts to introduce an idea that isn’t all that fun. Today, I wanted to discuss how to avoid letting people down.

As people of responsibility, which we all are, some of us take on more than others and sometimes we don’t completely follow through on what we are responsible for. It happens to all of us. We have a lot to balance in life, in college, you have class work, group work, presentations, papers, books to read and classes to go to. You probably also have a job or many jobs, clubs that you are involved in, events that you go to and meetings. You also need to keep in touch with your family, hang out with your friends, check Facebook and deal with life in general. After all of that, you also need to find some time to sleep along with about 50 other items on your to-do list. At some point, something has to give, something is going to be forgotten, something is going to not get done.

With all of this responsibility, there are many relationships that are connected. Your friends, your family, your classmates, your co-workers, your fellow club members, your boss and your professors. Sometimes when you don’t follow through on your responsibilities, some of them are going to get hurt as well. How do you avoid this? How do you make sure that your don’t ruin relationships? How do you make sure your rare “let down” doesn’t hurt a lot of people?

In my experience, especially when it comes to clubs and organizations, you need to follow three steps. These are probably not things that are going to surprise you, but sometimes we need a little reminder!

Step 1: Get Organized!
Anyone who comes to my office, immediately knows that I am not always a very organized person. I know that this can occasionally affect the things I do. At least once a week, I take stock of where I am, flip through the papers on my desk and make sure that I’m not missing something. If I don’t, I know that things get lost or I will forget to follow up on something. My point here is to take a little time for you, where you can collect your thoughts, organize a to-do list and see what responsibilities you need to fulfill. Prioritize your list, make sure you get your assignments done! Then start to work through the list.

For you, getting organized is going to be something different then it is for someone else. The important thing is to just find what works for you.

Step 2: Communicate
If you know you have a big test coming this week, think about what other responsibilities are going to suffer. Does that mean you can’t go to an e-board meeting? Are you not going to make it to Bingo with your friends? Are you not going to be able to go to work on Wednesday? Then let people know. Most people are happier to help you out if you give them a heads up and let them know that you aren’t going to be around. Sometimes, that may mean bigger things. If you need to step away from all of your responsibilities for the club you are in for two weeks, then do that, but make sure you tell someone and that they know all the information they need in order for the club to not suffer. Talk with your club advisor, let him/her know what is going on and seek their advice on how to manage things. That is what they (we) are here for!

Step 3: Know when to cut back
One of the hardest things about being involved on campus is stepping down from a position. I can still remember my own personal debates when I had to resign from a position in a club in college in order to pursue other things. If you feel that a one or two week break from a club is not going to cut it, that you are feeling overwhelmed and can’t handle all of your responsibilities, then it’s time to step back and reevaluate what you are involved with. There is nothing wrong with stepping down from a position. Many of the students who I have seen step down from a position, are some of the people I respect the most as leaders. The leader who is overwhelmed and steps down, does more good for their organization then the leader who is overwhelmed and holds on to the position, leaving others to pick up the slack.

This is not a call for all leaders to resign. I know that at times you will get stressed out, and that doesn’t mean you need to immediately step away. You need to do what is best for you and you need to organize, prioritize, communicate and then refocus your energy and sometimes that means stepping down from certain clubs or focusing your attention on your class work and only one organization. Remember that the staff in OSIL is always available to talk to you about your club responsibilities, and we can help you with some of the organizing and prioritizing.

Keep up the good work you are doing and remember to always do your best!

Thursday, February 18, 2010

A Bear-ific Interview (Raul)

Hey guys!! So this week has been kind of hectic and I'm about to throw a bunch of posts at you!! Well, not literally..you know I would never throw anything at you guys :)

So this week Raul Vazquez was interviewed, and again we have an awesome Bear. Check out the interview....





Name: Raul Vazquez

Nickname: Macho (no joke that's what my family calls me)

Year: Junior 2011

Major: Business Management

Three things you didn't know about Raul Vazquez until now:

1. I love to beat up the beat and fist pump when I go out.
2. I can't stop smiling when I am nervous.
3. I just found out about 1 year ago that I love to travel to different countries. Since then I have traveled to three countries and am going to my fourth one maybe in the summer.


There isn't anything that Duck Tape can't fix.

How are you involved on campus?
I am the President of our Student Government Association on campus, I am a brother of Sigma Pi, I am a member in the Student Leadership Council, I work in the Moakley Center IT Helpdesk and I work in the Commuter Services office.


My favorite sport is baseball.

How can your personality be best described?
A. Dorky
B. Fun
C. Timid
D. Loud
E. Other: Overconfident and silly

My favorite class so far has been French Film with Professor Lizie, because we traveled to Paris on a study tour and I had one of the best times of my life there. I got to go on the Eiffel Tower, see the Mona Lisa, and made 19 new friends; it was a great time.

One of my favorite memories here at BSC so far is the Spring 2009 elections for the student body presidency. It was a heated race, but myself and Kara Crosson came out on top.

I am _____'s # fan: Guilty Pleasure
A. New England Patriots
B. Indianapolis Colts
C. New Orleans Saints
D. Pittsburgh Steelers
E. Other: Jersey Shore


My favorite kind of food is:
A. Italian
B. Chinese food you can ask anyone, I know what I like and this is what they will tell you. It's so good I can just keep ordering Pork Fried Rice with pepper Steak and boneless spareribs. Hmm
C. American
D. Crimson Dining
E. Other: ____
Haha..Jersey Shore has taken over Bridgewater I swear! So what did you guys think? Feel free to comment or ask Raul any questions you would like!!!
Cat :)

Friday, February 12, 2010

Are you on the INside?

I’m thinking of something that can be considered the campus pulse, knows all the events on campus, has tons of “friends” but is probably slightly underused. That’s right, everyone, I’m talking about the Involvement Network. Perhaps you have absolutely NO idea what the Involvement Network is or maybe you think it’s just an added piece of technology that really doesn’t serve a purpose for you or for the clubs your involved in. Well, keep reading and I will enlighten you to what the Involvement Network is and how good it is to be on the INside.



First things first: do you have a login? If so, GREAT – you are one step closer to getting IN. If not, surf your way on over to the website. Create a log-in after using the sign up function and following the steps. Now that you are on your way to INsider status, let’s learn some fun facts about Insiders…


Fact: INsiders are never bored. They know something is always happening on campus.

So believe it or not, there is something going on at BSC just about all the time. Sure, you may not see as many flyers around campus or in the residence halls as you used to, but going green means more than just cutting down paper advertisements across campus. It means that all the events are right at your finger tips. The flyerboard is a pretty nifty tool. Go ahead, click the events tab and see what’s going on over the next few days. You can even RSVP AND add it to your calendar so you don’t miss the event. If you don’t see a flyer there, don’t get discouraged. You can search events by category too!

Fact: INsiders are networkers. They “know” key players in all different clubs and organizations.



Did you know you can see who is involved with any club on the Involvement Network? Yes, that’s right. You can see the President, Vice Pres, Primary Contact and sometimes even the adviser of a club. Sure, I’m using the term “know” rather loosely. It is highly unlikely that you will personally know all the important people in a club, but INsiders can find out who they need to get in contact with if they want more information about the club or becoming a member.



Fact: INsiders are INnovative communicators. They know how to communicate and group consensus without that pesky reply-all email that fills your inbox.

The Involvement Network has a number of built in communication tools that you probably didn’t realize existed. For instance, you can email anyone in your club through the Involvement Network. Then there are the discussion boards and survey features, too. Use discussion boards to post minutes for members that missed meetings! You can create surveys within organizations to take polls without pesky paper ballots AND all the data is already typed up for you. Talk about going green and making your life easier!



So fellow and future INsiders, these are just a few reasons why being IN is pretty cool. If you still aren’t sold or maybe slightly confused on the Involvement Network – FEAR NOT! February is INVOLVEMENT NETWORK Month in OSIL. Every week sessions are being offered on a variety of topics regarding the Involvement Network through the CEO Series. Sign up for sessions here!

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Thursday = Fun Day :)

Hello Fellow Bloggers,



How about that snowday!?! If you were me you were probably wondering the entire day why there was even a snowday (not that I'm complaining), but before I knew it there was a huge blizzard outside! I basically decided to look at some scholarships, finish up some homework, hang out with my prince charming (my betta fish), and watch the movie Couple's Retreat which was hilarious. How did you spend your snow day? I would love to hear what you guys did.



Have you voted yet on our poll How are you spending Valentine's Day? So far here are the results:

  1. With my bf/gf: 50%
  2. Friends..duh: 30%
  3. Searching for my valentine: 10%
  4. Is that the day where a cupid aims an arrow at you? Um..no thanks!: 10%

If you aren't happy with the results, then what are you waiting for? Vote away.

Okay, so here's the fun part..at least I think it's pretty fun. I would like to share with you a few funny videos (all with animals..don't worry yet)
This one is of a dog that screams elmo..

Do you have really bad allergies? Well this panda does, it can't stop sneezing!!

Hope you enjoy the rest of your thursday!! Hope to hear from you guys.
Cat :)

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

The Red Polos Are Coming, The Red Polos Are Coming!!!

Yesterday you might have felt like the campus was being invaded by people in red polo's. Don't be alarmed we came in peace (yes...I was one of them). All we were trying to do was get all of you to apply to become a Summer Orientation Leader.. see I told you we were harmless :)


A Few Reasons to Become A Summer Orientation Leader:

  1. The people you work with, most of which you will never have met before, will turn from co-workers to friends by the end of the first day. I've come up with two theories as to why this happens: a) there's some weird orientation magic, and b) all the orientation leaders are just naturally awesome. (I tend to go with theory two).

  2. You get to wear awesome red polo's and name tags.

  3. You're communication and leadership skills improve immensely. You will be able to speak more comfortably in front of people, and learn how to be more decisive.

  4. You get an early preview at the new faces that will be attending school with you! Not only that, but you can make their transition from their high school to BSC a fun and exciting one!

  5. Isn't Chelsea Bracchi a good enough reason? Can't you SEE how much fun the OL's are?






So what are you waiting for?? Applications can be found at www.bridgew.edu/sil and they're due FEB 17th!





Cat :)

Monday, February 8, 2010

Be the change...

"Be the change you wish to see in the world", that's what I always say... ok so maybe Ghandi said it first, but I like to keep it alive.

With the new year and all... I got to thinking... do you ever look around and think how you are impacted by the kindness (or lack of) of strangers? I often think about the messages I give every day more specifically how I role model to others in my every day life. What messages do we send when we don't exchange any words? As some real life examples, I lived and worked in NYC for 5 years and would always appreciate the person who would give up their seat on the subway for a pregnant mom or an elderly man/woman, I made a judgement... I like that person. Simarlarly I made a judgement for the guy who ran into me while walking down the street and didn't even apologize, he was wearing a Yankees hat.. figures. (See I did it again..I judged!). I love working with fraternities and sororities because we talk about role modeling on a regular basis, do you live the values of your organization only when you are wearing letters? Or do you believe in them wholeheartedly and work every day to made our Founders proud. The power of role modeling isn't limited to fraternities and sororities, imagine if every person that wore their BSC hoodie held the door open for the person behind them, thanked the staff at the Bears Den for their service, or volunteered to put someones groceries in their car at Roche Brothers. Imagine all the people that would see that and think, hey.. I like BSC students, staff, & faculty. Imagine the positive impact we could make in our community by role modeling to others our value of service.

I have to give a shout out to some of the students I think do this best... its the Orientation Staff. I love watching the OL's in action because they breathe life into Ghandi's mission, they show new students the community they want here at BSC and that, in turn, creates change. So my challenge to you (and myself) is to go on, put on that BSC hoodie, and change the world! Go BEARS!

Have you seen Bears out there doing nice things for others? Was it a stranger who let you cross the street by Moakley, a maintainer in your residence hall, or maybe a BSC police officer who helped you out when you needed it most.Tell us about it!

A Bear-ific Interview with Meg Ryan

MONDAY.MONDAY.MONDAY.MONDAY!!!!
You know what this means..another interview with one of our Bears. Today you get to see the interview with our very own Megan Ryan. Remember all of her responses are in blue, check it outtt...

Name: Megan Ryan

Nickname: Meg; Meg Ryan..maybe..is that a nickname?

Year: Junior; May 2011

Major: The forbidden Elementary Education with Psychology!



Three things you didn't know about Meg until now:

1. I have an obsession with the color blue and have an unhealthy amount of blue shirts. My roommate is currently staging an Intervention.

2. I taught myself how to play the guitar in the summer of 2008 because I spent far too much time on Facebook.

3. My right foot is a half size larger than my left foot...it's a pain.



There isn't anything that chocolate can't fix!



How are you involved on campus?

Hmm..I am the Marketing Director of Program Committee, I am a Student Orientation Coordinator for the Summer 2010 Orientation Program, and I work in the Print Shop!



My favorite sport is baseball. I love watching my younger brother Sean play!



How can your personality be best described?

A. Dorky

B. Fun

C. Timid

D. Loud

E. Other: Vibrant



My favorite class so far has been Intro to Elementary Education, because I got to work in the classroom of my 2nd grade teacher (who now teaches 1st grade!) and I got to learn more about my major.



One of my favorite memories here at BSC so far is hosting the Homecoming Pageant with Devan Carrington. I dressed as the rapper, Lil' Wayne, and Devan dressed as the rapper T Pain! We also dressed as the Spartan cheerleaders from SNL!



I am ______'s #1 fan:

A. New England Patriots

B. Indianapolis Colts

C. New Orleans Saints

D. Pittsburgh Steelers

E. Other: Lady Gaga



My favorite kind of food is:

A. Italian

B. Chinese

C. American

D. Crimson Dining

E. Other: CHINESE FOOD! especially at Mee King.

What another great interview and I must agree, Mee King is quite delicious!! So what did you guys think?? Feel free to ask her any questions!

Cat :)

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Action Packed Weekend!

Welcome to all our loyal fans and welcome to our new friends!

Thanks to everyone who came out this past weekend to Trivia Night at Crimson. Hope you guys enjoyed the event, there was a good turnout, I'd venture to say around 60+ people participated, Students were paired off for competition and played three separate games with three rounds, $25 gift cards were given to 1st place, movie tickets for 2nd place and $5 gift cards for 3rd place. Winners included for 1st place Kelly Tanguay (Junior), and Matt Menard (Senior).

Here's the low-down on this weekend's happenings on campus.

To start off our Friday night, Program Committee is having Video Game Night in Crimson Dining Hall at 8pm. Everyone should come out and show your stuff on
Mario Kart!
We’re bringing it back old school to the day’s when we all played Mario Kart so bring your skills and there might be some prizes in store so play your best!

Saturday Night is MOVIE NIGHT!
Come watch the hit movie Twilight at 7 pm in the Dunn Conference room with your friends to get geared up for the campus premier of New Moon on February 20th. Snacks will be provided so bring your friends and remember, what team your on…. Jacob or Edward?

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday…. Super Bowl Sunday at Dunn Conference Room 6:30 pm have free food come while watching the Indianapolis Colts vs. New Orleans Saints with your friends and learn more about what’s happening at BSC on the weekends S.W.A.T.

More interested in checking out Basketball? On Saturday at 1pm BSC Host’s Fitchburg State in the Tinsley Center, Our Women’s team plays at 1pm, and Men’s starts at 3pm to follow.


Lastly.. and probably most importantly... are YOU following US on Twitter?! If not, do it do it do it! ( www.twitter.com/bscSWAT ) MAKE SURE you turn on
Receive Mobile Updates from BSCswat in order to be eligable to win an INSTANT door-prize at our events! All you have to do is show me the text message that was sent to your phone and you win!

Have a great weekend Bears! Hope to see you!

Monday, February 1, 2010

A Bear-ific Interview with...

So even though I'm having a not so grand day (figures its Monday), this interview sure cheered me up a bit. I was convinced this entire time that Constantine's real name was actually Dino! I've been fooled this entire time!!! Read Dino's interview, he's a pretty interesting bear.

Name: Constantine Dourountoudakis
Nickname: Dino
Year:Junior, graduating in January 2012
Major: Physics
Minor: Computer Science and Mathematics

Three things you didn't know about Dino until now:
1. The only music I listen to is Cretan music. Seriously, take a look at my Ipod sometime.
2. I have an addiction....to the Internet in genera. And Stumble-Upon.
3. I've always wanted a pet monkey like in Ace Ventura.

There isn't anything that a sense of humor can't fix.

How are you involved on campus?
At the moment...Social Chair for Sigma Pi Fraternity, Orientation Leader, and Senior Consultant at the IT helpdesk.

My favorite sport is baseball.

How can your personality be best described?
A. Dorky
B. Fun
C. Timid
D. Loud
E. Other: _____

My favorite class so far has been General Physics, because I like torturing myself.

One of my favorite memories here at BSC so far is either working Summer Orientation or being part of Sigma Pi.

I am _______'s #1 fan:
A. New England Patriots
B. Indianapolis Colts
C. New Orleans Saints
D. Pittsburgh Steelers
E. Other: ________

My favorite kind of food is:
A. Italian
B. Chinese
C. American
D. Crimson Dining
E. Other:_______


I don't know about having a pet monkey but Ace Ventura is one of my favorite movies. What did you guys think? Comment on this interview or ask Dino anything you would like!!

Rawr Cat :)

Friday, January 29, 2010

BSC - What makes it special?

I'm feeling psyched about the re-launch of this blog and hope that as the semester progresses it will grow to be an exciting place for information, dialogue, and community!

Tonight is Winter Commencement and I am so proud of so many of our graduates! It is always a time where I reflect a lot on BSC and on this department. 

In case you don't know this about me, I "landed" here at BSC after a series of interviews that took me and my husband progressively up Rt. 95 on a goal of moving to the New England area.  I had some interviews in CT that  I didn't get or didn't want    "didn't pan out" and once we hit the Massachusetts border I found BSC. 

I'll confess... I didn't know much about BSC from my one bedroom overpriced apartment in  New Jersey about 15 minutes from my parents' house at the time.  But, reflecting back to that day in July of 1998 that I interviewed for this position I still like to think about what interested me about BSC and how I knew it would be a good "fit."  For those of you looking for summer internships or (gasp!) post-graduation jobs... the vague idea of "fit" with place might be similar to what you were thinking when you were college searching.  When looking for "fit" with a place you ask yourself "can I see myself here?" "Are there people I would connect with?"  "Do I like the idea of doing this job?"

If you are wondering about your next "fit", consider this...
  • A place that "fits" is founded on goals and values that you can support and enjoy the idea of helping to advance.
  • A job that "fits" offers you a blend of easy tasks that you can do in your sleep and things that you'll have to do that scare the heck out of you.  Challenges are good... but it's also good to be an expert in a few things too. Nothing wrong with looking brilliant in the first few weeks on the job.
  • A place that "fits" will take you one next step to the next stop along your career path
Digging in a little deeper...
  • A place that fits will have at least one person that you can visualize having lunch with and enjoying it. 
  • A place that fits shows you respect, treats you like someone special when you visit, and connects you with people that seem genuinely happy there.
  • A place that fits connects you with at least one person that will be someone you can learn from.
I've been here at BSC for a while and these are some of the reasons it "fits" for me.  How about you? 

Post a comment and tell us why you think BSC is a good "fit" for you and your personal goals!

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Who Needs A Good Laugh?!?!

BAHAHAHAHA. Lo Siento (I'm sorry in Spanish), but I am more than exhausted and trying to debate whether or not im thrilled or upset that it's Thursday. Happy that at least it's not Monday, but sad because there's ONE more day until the WEEKEND, booo..but YAYAYAYYA!!! And what is with this blizzard outside?? I'm kind of not diggin' it my dear Bears :( Anywho, I am giving you a comical gift since this weather is depressing me and I'm assuming you guys feel the same way. With that said, enjoy this video and the evil look....
Rawr, Cat :)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5ALIL7T764

Monday, January 25, 2010

... It Happens On The Weekends

Hollllerrrr to our loyal followers... and to the first timers too!

Thanks to everyone who came out this past weekend to Vegas at Bridgewater! Hope you guys enjoyed the event, there was a good turn out, I'd venture to say around 125 people, and 1 lucky winner, Jim Hickey a Junior at BSC walked away with a brand new 26" flat screen LCD TV. So congrats again Jim!

Here's the low-down on this weekend's hip-happenings on campus.

To start off our Friday night, Program Committee is having Video Game Night in Crimson Dining Hall at 8pm. Everyone should come out and show your stuff on Beatles Rock Band! it should really be a good night, so you won't want to miss out on this one... who knows.. there might even be some prizes in store! So play your best.

Saturday we're staying in Crimson Dining but moving up to 7PM, so while you're eating your dinner you and your friends can take on the cafe in a trivia-game-show fiasco, You Think You Know...?! Prizes are still TBD... so leave me a comment and I'll consider your prize idea!

More interested in checking out the basketball games in Tinsley? The Woman's Team will play Westfield State at 1PM followed by the Men's team at 3PM.

Lastly.. and probably most importantly... are YOU following US on Twitter?! If not, do it do it do it! ( www.twitter.com/bscSWAT ) MAKE SURE you turn on Receive Mobile Updates from BSCswat in order to be eligable to win an INSTANT door-prize at our events! All you have to do is show me the text message that was sent to your phone and you win!

That's it for this weekend Bears! Hope to see you!

A Bear-ific Interview

Howdy Bears! I know it's Monday but hang in there. Think of it as this way, once today is done we'll all be one day closer to the weekend..yay!! So, to help you out with your Monday blues I've decided to pick one of our own Bear-ific students to answer a few questions so we can get to know them a little bit better!!

This is the first time we've done this and we're very excited. Today we are getting to know Rachel Rose Freedenberg, an awesome Bear from Maine..check her out. Do it.....you won't.

Oh and P.S. all of her answers are bolded in blue!!


Name: Rachel Rose Freedenberg
Nickname: No thanks.
Year: Some people would say Junior, some would say Senior, I'm not really sure, but May 2011 here I come.
Major: Psychology
Minor: Biology

Three things you didn't know about Rachel until now:
1. I have an issue with drinking obsessive amounts of water a day
2. Fish are probably the greatest animals ever
3. I am the worst texter-backer in the history of cellphones, seriously, ask any of my friends.

There isn't anything that a large ice coffee can't fix.

How are you involved on campus?
Where do I start... President of Program Committee, Member of the Student Leadership Council, Sister of Gamma Phi Beta, Student Weekend Activities Coordinator/Advisor, Weekend Task Force Member, Previous Summer & Winter Orientation Leader.. is that it?

My favorite sport is Hockey, Go Bruins!

How can your personality be best described?
A. Dorky <----? I have no idea
B. Fun
C. Timid
D. Loud
E. Other: _____

My favorite class so far has been Anatomy I, because I'm a nerd.

One of my favorite memories here at BSC so far is meeting miss Catarina Martins over our love of toast.

I am _______'s #1 fan:
A. New England Patriots
B. Indianapolis Colts
C. New Orleans Saints
D. Pittsburgh Steelers
E. Other: I think these are all football teams? So I'm going to go with the Chicago Bears, because I have a really comfy old Superbowl XX t-shirt that I love to wear.

My favorite kind of food is:
A. Italian
B. Chinese
C. American
D. Crimson Dining (glad it made the cut)
E. Other: Deli fresh anything



So what do you guys think? Do you have anything in common with our very own Rachel Rose Freedenberg? Do you have any questions for her? Comment away my dear bears..rawr!

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Tuesday- Haiti

Happy New Year to all of you and hope that every single one of you have come up with some great new year’s resolutions!! Mine tend to be the same from year to year:

1) Try my hardest to earn some decent grades I can be proud of
2) Maybe finally trying that whole eating healthier thing (although I can never seem to resist those Reese’s peanut butter cups..and kit kats..and just chocolate in general)
3) To try to make some great memories with friends and family.
This year however I am adding one more to the list and it would be great if everyone could join me, and that is to help out Haiti. It's a New Year right? Why should people have it start out on such a tragic note?

So many, a great deal many, have suffered so much and keep suffering. I mean everyone has in their life time at least once thought "Hey I wish I could really help. I really should do something, try to help out the situation but how am I going to do that?" If you've always wanted to help out, I really couldn't think of a better time than now. And I'm not just writing this and not believing in it, I've actually already donated $10 myself. It's easy, just text "HAITI" to 9-0-9-9-9 and you will automatically have donated $10 that will show up on your phone bill; just watch this youtube video of the commercial that Michelle Obama is in that I'm sure most of you have already watched on tv (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLd_5LFKPUQ).

Also, I was watching comedy central today (The Colbert Show) and even Stephen is trying to help out! Apparently he got a new set for his show and is auctioning off pieces of his old set now! A Colbert Nation Liquidation he calls it, it’s already started this week and the bidding will continue until January 25th; it's for the table where he interviewed a ton of celebrities. And get this, AT&T will even match the winning bid, I don't know I just thought it was pretty cool (http://www.colbertnation.com/colbert-report-charity-auction).

Actually, I don't know how much tv any of you guys watch, but I feel like so many people are coming together to really try to help out. I mean this unfortunate tragedy didn't even occur in our own country and yet so many people are lending a hand or a few bucks to really try to make a difference in another part of this world, our world. I guess when it comes to things like this we all just come together and it's really nice to see that. Even my grandmother who lives in Portugal donated too! What a sweet lady I miss her ha. And I feel like I'm a part of all of this because again I donated some money, $10 that I gave instead of going and spending it on a medium hot caramel latte with skim milk and no sugar...just extra caramel haha. See I'm already fulfilling my new year’s resolutions; I'm being healthier by not choosing the latte and donating to a great cause. That small action, believe it or not, will make such a difference. Imagine if we all didn't spend money on things that we buy every week that we don't even need and donated it instead to those that are in great need?

So stealing some of Stephen Colbert's words I say to you, BSC Nation...let's make a difference. It's a new year; let's give ourselves and Haiti a new start :)  - Cat Martins

Monday, January 11, 2010

Greetings from OSIL 2010.

It's hard to believe that today we are preparing for the arrival of about 450 brand new Bears!  Tomorrow begins the January Orientation events and we are gearing up for a busy few days!
Starting your academic career in the middle of an academic year is a little different than our typical welcome activities that happen in August and September.  However, we're geared up to help make the arrival of our new students a great one as we ready the team of Orientation leaders and make sure that all of our speakers, rooms, materials and pearls of wisdom are in place and ready to serve.
If you are able, please comment with some important advice for new students that are arriving now. What do you think they should know to be successful?  See you soon!!!

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Firing up the blog!

Happy 2010, Bridgewater State College!

Your friendly neighborhood OSIL staff is back and rested up for a brand new semester. While we're dusting off the holiday cobwebs, we're spending this week getting organized for Orientation next week and the rest of the campus to return.

See how hard we are working?


(I know some of you have taken naps on that couch, but now Erin's daughter has followed suit.)





But seriously, we're back and excited for a new year. To prove it to you, let's ask the OSIL staff that is in today about what they are looking forward to the most about Spring semester...

Christina: Getting to break the mold and being really innovative with my work
Sally: Taking a vacation in March
Sabrina: My financial aid refund check
Laurie: Springfest...it's a fun and exciting week around here
Bristaco the Bear: (unavailable for comment due to hibernation for winter)
Me: Getting this blog site to reach as many students as possible. Equally important is the fact that this semester I'm turning 40. Only a few more months of shopping left, people!

Tell a friend...this blog site is going to be THE place to follow this semester! With the help of our fantastic marketing staff, we are excited to do some fun posts!

Enjoy the last few days of break... we will too!