Bridgewater Alumni Association Board of Directors is Looking for a Few Good Bears!
Once a Bear. Always a Bear.
And what better way to show your support than to participate as a volunteer director on the Bridgewater Alumni Association (BAA) Board.
Carrie Kulick-Clark, ’85, G’98, president of the BAA, explains, “As a volunteer member of the BAA, we serve as representatives of the 75,000-plus Bears that have come before us. We are a board comprised of graduates from different decades, different backgrounds, different strengths and different perspectives. As a group, we deal with programming, budgets, affinity group activities and outreach. I like to think of us as the ‘Friend Raising’ component of the Office of Alumni & Development.”
The members of the BAA are thoughtful advisors, ardent ambassadors and inspired influencers who work to advance the academic mission of Bridgewater State University, as well as the work of the Office of Alumni & Development.
The group’s core values say it all:
“Via the board, we are able to identify and grow alumni leaders who have the potential for continued volunteer service with BSU. By working to further engage alumni and donors, we are able to advance their relationship with Bridgewater State University, as well as provide opportunity for professional or personal development,” notes Kulick-Clark.
The BAA Board of Directors meets quarterly to conduct business on behalf of the larger alumni body. Each director is assigned to two standing committees, including Alumni Awards, Alumni Scholarship, Nominations, Community Service and Long-Range Planning, to name a few. Directors may also be asked to serve on ad hoc committees.
Kulick-Clark continues, “The time commitment is reasonable. BAA related meetings average about two hours per month. We also encourage the BAA board to attend and help staff at assorted events such as Homecoming, as well as serve on panels or committees that are of interest or relevant to our goals. For these tasks, we serve as the outreach component with our big bear arms and giving big bear hugs.”
When asked about what the BAA means to her, Kulick-Clark shared, “The theme for my presidency is ‘Meet you where you are.’
My goal is to develop and direct programming to alumni and their families that meets them in their place in life. We are also working to get more involved with students and show by example what it means to give back to this amazing place that molded us into who we are today.
Once a Bear. Always a Bear.”
A BAA Long-Range Plan has set goals and the agenda for the next few years includes, but is not limited to:
1.) Establishing lifelong connections to the BAA and BSU;
2.) Expanding the communication infrastructure;
3.) Increasing participation in Alumni Activities and Events;
4.) Increasing student engagement; and
5.) Promoting inclusivity, equity and justice.
Matthew Rushton, ’15, sums up the value and importance of the BAA nicely when he says, “My goal as a board member is to give back to BSU in a way that provides opportunities for first generation college students and in ways that helps us remain a leader in social justice issues while also staying accessible for all those who dream of going to college.”
To learn more about this incredible group of alumni and how you can become part of the BAA, click here to apply.
Deadline for submission is end of business day, Monday, February 28, 2022.