Board of Trustees

Mutual Trust

BBENSON@bridgew.edu — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 13:54:23 +0000

Mutual Trust BBENSON@bridgew.edu Thu, 03/06/2025 - 08:54

Dedicated alumna returns to serve on Board of Trustees

March 6, 2025

Brian Benson, G'23

Ann Ulett, ’92, arrived on the Bridgewater State campus as a single mother of two juggling schoolwork and childcare.

With an associate degree from Massasoit Community College in hand, Ulett was eager to further her education to land a job that would balance professional and family obligations.

“Bridgewater was just so accommodating for a non-traditional student,” said Ulett, who pursued her bachelor’s degree in management science (with an accounting concentration) in her late 20s and early 30s. “What stuck out the most for me were all the resources available.”

Fast forward several decades and Ulett is now helping ensure today’s students feel similarly supported in her new role as a member of ŷ��’s Board of Trustees. Appointed by Gov. Maura Healey, Ulett brings 26 years of experience working for PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, a prominent international accounting firm.

Ulett has spent most of those years in recruitment with a focus on diversity. For more than a decade, she has managed two of PwC’s internship and student-development programs. She often speaks with students at ŷ�� and elsewhere about succeeding in business.

“It gave me the opportunity to come back and share what I learned – the dos and don’ts and unspoken rules,” said Ulett, who serves as PwC’s northeast entry level trust business recruiting manager.

As a first-generation Bridgewater student, Ulett appreciated the mentorship from professors and staff members, including Paul Gaines, who served as Bridgewater’s first director of minority affairs. Gaines recognized Ulett’s knack for working with students even before Ulett realized that was to be her calling.

She has remained connected to her alma mater by joining the ŷ�� Foundation’s board, the Ricciardi College of Business Advisory Board, and the Afro-American Alumni Association. Her grandson graduated from Bridgewater, and her son is currently a nontraditional ŷ�� student studying aviation.

As a trustee, she looks forward to supporting Bridgewater’s commitment to success for all students and focus on racial justice. ŷ��’s values, she said, align perfectly with her own.

“I’m pretty excited about the opportunity and excited to work together with an amazing group of trustees,” she said. “I feel back at home.”

Do you have a ŷ�� story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu.

Bridgewater was just so accommodating for a non-traditional student. What stuck out the most for me were all the resources available.

Ann Ulett, ’92

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Alumni Profile

Photo by Charlie Peters, G'20

Welcome Back

BBENSON@bridgew.edu — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 20:59:09 +0000

Welcome Back BBENSON@bridgew.edu Wed, 02/26/2025 - 15:59

Alumnus is named a new trustee

February 27, 2025

Brian Benson, G'23

For Peter Koutoujian, ’83, there’s something magical about being back on the Bridgewater State campus. Even his wife notices how happy he is when he attends Homecoming festivities.

Now, he will have many more opportunities to return to his alma mater as a new member of ŷ��’s Board of Trustees.

“This position is a labor of love,” said Koutoujian, who was appointed to the volunteer role by Gov. Maura Healey. “I’ve always been a booster and cheerleader for this school. ...This allows me a more formal way to bring that to the university.”

Koutoujian was drawn to serve as a trustee for the same reason he came to Bridgewater State as a student more than four decades ago: He immediately felt a connection to the university and appreciated the welcoming atmosphere from his first visit to campus. He still recalls the personal attention he received and how everyone held the door open for each other – two characteristics of the ŷ�� community that persist to this day, he noted.

At Bridgewater, Koutoujian studied psychology, played on the tennis team and served as president of his graduating class. His Bridgewater experience became a springboard to advanced degrees from New England School of Law and Harvard University, as well as a rewarding career in public service.

“Bridgewater provided an environment where I could grow and I could learn and I could mature,” he said. “That gave me opportunities.”

After working as a prosecutor and a public defender, Koutoujian served for eight terms as a state representative. Among many legislative accomplishments, he played a key role in having Bridgewater State designated as a university. The name change, Koutoujian said, more accurately reflects the breadth and depth of a Bridgewater education.

Since 2011, he has served as the sheriff of Middlesex County, where he brings a data-driven approach to reimagining corrections. Koutoujian led the development of innovative programs for young adults, veterans, and other groups to significantly reduce recidivism.

Today, three generations of the Koutoujian family have a Bridgewater connection. His son, also named Peter, is an undergraduate political science major, while his mother, Connie, is a member of ŷ��’s Senior College.

Koutoujian said he is impressed with the personal attention of Senior College and the experiences his son has had as a ŷ�� student. The younger Peter has interned for Sen. Ed Markey and served as a community organizing fellow for the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation.

“It’s really important to see an institution through the eyes of others,” Koutoujian said. “It’s just given me a greater appreciation for the Bridgewater of today.”

Do you have a ŷ�� story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu.

This position is a labor of love. I’ve always been a booster and cheerleader for this school. ...This allows me a more formal way to bring that to the university.

Peter Koutoujian, ’83

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Alumni Profile

Service First

BBENSON@bridgew.edu — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 12:52:48 +0000

Service First BBENSON@bridgew.edu Thu, 09/12/2024 - 08:52

Senior finds calling in helping others, serving with Trustees

September 12, 2024

Brian Benson, G'23

With a keen interest in the military, Emily Rose, ’25, was initially unsure if college was the right fit. But at Bridgewater State, Emily quickly found a calling: advocating for fellow students while preparing to enter the Army.

“I’ve developed my leadership skills in a way I never thought I’d be able to,” said Emily, a criminal justice major who is minoring in Portuguese. “I’ve really grown in my ability to care for people and learning what others go through so I can help. I think it has been so beneficial.”

Emily, who has served in the Student Government Association since their first year, and participates in ROTC, is the student representative on the Board of Trustees for this school year. They were elected by their peers to the post on ŷ��’s top board.

As a trustee, Emily looks forward to analyzing data, expanding opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds, and fostering the welcoming campus they have enjoyed throughout their time as a Bear.

“I really think it’s the students, their hard work and determination,” Emily said. “Everyone goes above and beyond. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a time when someone didn’t open a door for me and let me pass through.”

The annual back-to-school barbecue for the campus symbolizes the camaraderie that exists, Emily said.

“Bridgewater State University is a place where everyone anywhere on campus would feel safe,” they said in highlighting widespread support for the LGBTQIA+ community. “I feel comfortable to be who I am.”

Emily’s leadership isn’t limited by campus boundaries. They are also the commander of an Army ROTC company that includes students from Bridgewater, Curry College and Stonehill College.

Emily aspires to follow their father into the military, where they will no doubt rely on the leadership skills earned at Bridgewater.

“I don’t think I would be the same person I am without student government and the support of everyone above me who mentored me,” said Emily, praising connections with peers, faculty and administrators. “It wouldn’t be the same if it wasn’t for everyone at ŷ��.”

Do you have a ŷ�� story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu.

I don’t think I would be the same person I am without student government and the support of everyone above me who mentored me. It wouldn’t be the same if it wasn’t for everyone at ŷ��.

Emily Rose, ’25

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Board of Trustees

Photo by Charlie Peters, G'20

Alumnus Named to Board of Trustees

BBENSON@bridgew.edu — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 19:56:25 +0000

Alumnus Named to Board of Trustees BBENSON@bridgew.edu Wed, 09/04/2024 - 15:56

Mike Vieira seeks to replicate his campus experience for today’s students

September 5, 2024

Brian Benson, G'23

When it came time to pursue a college education, Dr. Mike Vieira, ’75, G’82, had a dream school in mind: Bridgewater State.

Vieira’s favorite schoolteachers had earned their degrees as Bears, so Bridgewater immediately stood out to the aspiring educator.

“Bridgewater was the place,” said Vieira, who studied English as an undergraduate and earned a master's degree in teaching English. “I often say it was life-changing, and it was in a bunch of ways.”

After several decades teaching middle school, high school and college students, Vieira is gaining a new perspective on his alma mater as a member of the Board of Trustees. Vieira has served on the Bridgewater Alumni Association Board since 2015, and his fellow board members elected him to become the university’s newest trustee.

“I’m honored to be in this position, and I look forward to representing the alumni to the best of my abilities for as long as I can,” he said.

As a Bridgewater student, Vieira joined the Campus Comment student newspaper at the urging of a professor. He quickly fell in love with journalism and publishing, from writing stories to laying out pages to thriving in the sometimes-chaotic newsroom. His first article was on the 1973 resignation of U.S. Vice President Spiro Agnew.

Vieira taught English and journalism for 20 years at Fall River’s Durfee High School, where he advised Durfee’s student publications.

“It all goes back to Bridgewater,” he said. “I created a newsroom atmosphere that really replicated the Comment.”

He went on to work as an assistant professor of computer information systems and an administrator at Bristol Community College. Vieira helped organize international trips that provided community college students with global perspectives similar to those he gained at Bridgewater on a trip to Portugal.

Today, Bridgewater students continue to benefit from the global education, hands-on lessons, and individual support which Vieira experienced as a Bear, and subsequently based his teaching career on.

“In a lot of ways, it’s paying it forward,” he said of being an educator. “I always try to keep an eye on those students who need that little extra push. ... You are responsible for helping develop future citizens and future leaders.”

Do you have a ŷ�� story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu.

Bridgewater was the place. I often say it was life-changing, and it was in a bunch of ways.

Dr. Mike Vieira, ’75, G’82

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Photo by Kendell French, '25

New Trustee Welcomed

BBENSON@bridgew.edu — Wed, 29 May 2024 17:59:54 +0000

New Trustee Welcomed BBENSON@bridgew.edu Wed, 05/29/2024 - 13:59

Tiffony Cesero has had success as a businesswoman, leader and active volunteer

May 30, 2024

Brian Benson, G'23

As she falls asleep at night, Tiffony Cesero often reflects on how she helped someone that day. With extensive volunteer experience, Bridgewater State’s new trustee typically has much to ponder.

“That’s been in my bloodstream, just to help,” she said. “There’s no such thing as ‘I can’t.’ Anything is possible.”

A community leader and the president and CEO of the security company K-9 Mercantile Protection Inc., Cesero brings a passion for helping students that is rooted in her family experience. She raised three children of her own, another four through marriage, as well as a niece and a close family friend.

“I want to always make a difference and be impactful in the lives of our leaders of tomorrow,” she said.

To that end, Cesero serves on boards of the Old Colony YMCA, Sunrise Rotary Club and Salvation Army. She mentors high school students with disabilities who are transitioning into the workforce.

Cesero is a “dynamic individual,” with a passion for volunteering and significant experience fundraising and supporting education for marginalized and underserved individuals, ŷ�� President Frederick W. Clark Jr., '83, said.

ŷ��’s new trustee also co-owns the construction supply company ST Materials and Equipment. Her many leadership positions include serving on the board of the Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce and, since 2019, the Business Advisory Board for ŷ��’s Ricciardi College of Business.

She appreciates the hands-on learning and numerous opportunities available at Bridgewater State. Students have the chance to find their own way and identity, she said.

“It’s unbelievable to be afforded this opportunity,” Cesero said of being appointed to ŷ��’s Board of Trustees by Gov. Maura Healey. “I’m very honored.”

Cesero attended commencement at Gillette Stadium, an event that she said showcased the sense of community at ŷ�� and the dedication of faculty, librarians and staff to supporting students.

“You can feel the warmth, acceptance and love,” she said. “People care.”

Do you have a ŷ�� story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu.

That’s been in my bloodstream, just to help. There’s no such thing as ‘I can’t.’ Anything is possible.

Tiffony Cesero

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Photo by Charlie Peters, G'20

New Trustee Named

BBENSON@bridgew.edu — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 16:43:20 +0000

New Trustee Named BBENSON@bridgew.edu Wed, 01/18/2023 - 11:43

Michael Taylor sees public higher education as key steppingstone

January 19, 2023

Brian Benson, G'23

The son of a blacksmith, Michael Taylor became the first person in his family to earn a college diploma. For this, he thanks the high-quality, affordable degrees available via the state’s public higher education system.

It’s also one of the reasons he feels it’s been important for him to always give back.

Taylor, the newest trustee at Bridgewater State University, credits his undergraduate years at the former Boston State College with preparing him for a career of community service.

“Boston State College was my Bridgewater,” he said. “What Boston State represented to me was that beacon of opportunity. I think Bridgewater represents the same to many of the students who attend.”

That’s one reason why Taylor is honored to have been appointed by former Gov. Charlie Baker to serve on ŷ��’s Board of Trustees. A lifelong Boston resident, he was president of the Urban College of Boston for about a decade before retiring in 2022. The college is a non-traditional institution serving diverse and under-represented students. Taylor helped the college increase enrollment and improve its financial picture.

He served at the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development during former Gov. Deval Patrick’s administration and began his career working in public housing.

“We are fortunate indeed to have Trustee Taylor at ŷ��, as he brings decades of experience and exemplary service in higher education and government, with a focus on workforce development, social services and creating economic opportunity for all,” said ŷ�� President Frederick W. Clark Jr., '83.

Taylor attended his first trustees meeting in December. During a tour of the campus with Clark, he was amazed at how often students stopped to converse with the president. He also appreciated that staff sit at the same table as trustees during meetings. That seemingly simple gesture speaks volumes about the culture at Bridgewater, he said.

"I was impressed with the degree of collegiality and respect that the community had for each other and for President Clark, and also the pride and joy that people had about being a member of the Bridgewater community,” he said. “It was so striking and clear.”

Do you have a ŷ�� story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu.

I was impressed with the degree of collegiality and respect that the community had for each other and for President Clark, and also the pride and joy that people had about being a member of the Bridgewater community. It was so striking and clear.

Trustee Michael Taylor

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Continued Service

BBENSON@bridgew.edu — Wed, 07 Sep 2022 15:30:16 +0000

Continued Service BBENSON@bridgew.edu Wed, 09/07/2022 - 11:30

Former professor and dean appointed trustee

September 8, 2022

Brian Benson

Dr. Lisa Battaglino, ’79, experienced Bridgewater State University as a student, professor and dean. Now, she is adding one more title to that list: trustee.

Battaglino, who was recently appointed by Gov. Charlie Baker to the university’s Board of Trustees, worked at ŷ�� for about three decades, mostly as a special education professor and dean of the College of Education and Health Sciences.

“I wanted to continue being a part of the Bridgewater family,” said Battaglino, who retired in 2019. “This was a perfect way to contribute and bring my expertise to the table and still participate in the growth of the university.”

Battaglino dedicated her career to improving education locally and around the world. She forged a partnership with the Ministry of Education in Belize through which faculty, administrators and students volunteered in the country’s schools. Battaglino further collaborated with educators in Singapore, Cape Verde, Russia and China.

She participated in a White House summit as a result of her efforts to improve technology training for future teachers. Battaglino also focused on partnering with urban schools and increasing the number of science, technology, engineering and math teachers.

She has remained busy in retirement, researching how to provide services for people with both Down syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease. People with Down syndrome now often live into their 60s, increasing the likelihood they will have both disorders simultaneously.

“It’s an important area that hasn’t been explored up until this point,” she said.

The research also has a personal connection: Battaglino’s brother, Joel, has Down syndrome.

For a decade, Battaglino advocated for a recently passed Massachusetts law that ensures students with intellectual disabilities can attend college. ŷ�� already offers opportunities to participate in classes, clubs, and residential life through the EXCEL program.

“We have been a role model in providing people with disabilities access to higher education,” she said. “It has been an honor to be affiliated with Bridgewater because of that.”

Battaglino serves as a gubernatorial appointee to Massachusetts’ Special Commission on Rural School Districts. She is also a member of the ŷ�� Foundation’s investment and student engagement committees.

She looks forward to bringing her perspective as a former professor and administrator to the Board of Trustees.

“Education is my field and I believe strongly we have one of the best teacher-preparation programs in the U.S.” she said. “Although all of our programs are fantastic, that one is particularly dear to my heart. I want to do everything in my power to make sure we remain a stellar and exemplary university.”

Do you have a ŷ�� story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu.

I want to do everything in my power to make sure we remain a stellar and exemplary university.

Dr. Lisa Battaglino, ’79

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