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.
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 BSU’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 BSU 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 BSU’s Senior College.
Koutoujian said he is impressed with the personal attention of Senior College and the experiences his son has had as a BSU 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.”
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