Economic Development at Bridgewater State University 

 

Preparing people to join the workforce or move to the next level in their careers

  • BSU awards on average over 2,000 undergraduate and graduate degrees each year.

  • BSU offers Professional development workshops that help those in the workplace advance to their "next level".

  • The Division of Continuing and Distance Education offers eight baccalaureate degrees and six certificate programs in the evening through more than 325 evening and online courses. CDE also services nearly 2,400 undergraduate students through summer session and provides access to quality, non-credit professional career and training opportunities to the community year-round.

  • BSU's focus on student research results in a high level of hands-on training especially in the sciences

  • Career Services runs an internship program serving nearly 400 students annually.

Small Business Support/Development

  • CES, The Center for Entrepreneurship, connects, collaborates with and serves students, entrepreneurs, faculty as well as individuals looking to launch a business.

  • CES partners with the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center, SEED, SCORE and other agencies to bring services to the area.

  • BSU has many formal and informal collaborations with area chambers.

  • External Affairs and the CES offer business development workshops.

Infusing $$ into the regional economy

 

There has been no recent study of the economic impact of BSU on the region. However, its annual budget of 132 million dollars and annual employment of approximately 1,500 people makes it one of the largest organizations in SEMass  and represents a substantial, concentrated, and  direct economic impact that might not be here otherwise. 

 

Producing new opportunities for growth through research, innovation, service and outreach

  • The GeoGraphics Laboratory develops and deploys technology to more efficiently and effectively deliver public transportation services, which are a major contributor to the region's infrastructure.

  • Studies and planning activities through the Office of Regional Outreach assist municipalities and non-profits with economic development issues.

  • We convene the Old Colony Crossroads Collaborative, a collective of cities and towns that seeks new ways to work together to promote the region to business and developers.

Enabling and Inspiring a new generation of learners

  • BSU trains more teachers than any other public college in the Commonwealth. But it also reaches out to practicing teachers with professional development and to young learners with outreach and summer camp opportunities.

  • Earthview: a traveling Geography program using a huge inflatable globe that has touched at least fifteen thousand students in the past two years.

  • Citylab: hosts middle and high school classes from area school districts for science outreach programs on topics ranging from health and disease to forensics.  The program modules provide hands-on, inquiry-based laboratory activities using equipment and techniques not often available to pre-college students.

  • CAITE: this state-funded program addresses underemployment of minorities in information technology. BSU is working with schools in New Bedford.

  • Professional development for teachers in Economics and in Environmental education in turn touches the lives of thousands of students in the region.

  • FAM for Change: this innovative program uses peer mentoring and the promise of a free education at BSU to nurture at-risk students through high school

  • Summer Camps like Arts for Youth, Arts for Teens, the Bridgewater Animal Forensic Laboratory, and the ACE Camp for Aviation keep kids active and inspired.

 

Last Modified: August 25, 2010