Alumni Profile

A Bridgewater State Love Story

BBENSON@bridgew.edu — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 14:05:11 +0000

A Bridgewater State Love Story BBENSON@bridgew.edu Thu, 02/12/2026 - 09:05

Maddie Monagle and Jonny Matthews trace their relationship back to Pope Hall

February 12, 2026

Brian Benson, G'23

Some love stories start with fireworks. For Maddie Monagle, ’18, and Jonny Matthews, ’19, it began with friendship – formed in Pope Hall and shaped by the everyday moments of life at ��רע��Ʒ��.”

“We really were like best friends at first,” Monagle recalled, noting their friend groups started hanging out together soon after Matthews moved in as a transfer student. “Then we started dating, and the rest is history.”

A decade later, the couple is living in Quincy and preparing to tie the knot in October. They credit Bridgewater State with providing not only a great education but the beginnings of a lifelong partnership.

Monagle and Matthews bonded over meals in dining halls and Emma’s Pizza nearby. They lived in a coed suite in Crimson Hall, cheered on the football team, and attended homecoming festivities. Monagle and Matthews were even study buddies, helping each other survive a difficult astronomy class.

“We really were inseparable,” Monagle said. “We were hanging out all the time.”

United by a shared passion for helping others, their bond persevered even as Monagle graduated, and Matthews stayed at BSU for his senior year.

“She has a really big heart and genuinely cares about the people in her life, and also people she doesn’t know,” said Matthews.

Monagle added: “He’s just very generous and driven to help others, and that is something I appreciate and am drawn to.”

Their career ambitions also revolve around serving others. Matthews, who studied criminal justice, works as a guidance counselor at Everett High School. Monagle, who earned a bachelor’s degree in strategic communications, is pursuing a master’s degree in social work and working as a team lead support analyst at Amadeus, a global technology company that serves the travel and tourism industry.

Though their careers diverged from their majors, Monagle and Matthews gained numerous transferable skills from BSU.

“It’s a great community of people. The school really helped me build relationships,” Monagle said, praising the opportunity to be immersed in a diverse, multicultural student body. “It was a very welcoming school.”

Matthews appreciated the real-world connections and experiences his professors brought into the classroom. He values the academic and personal growth that comes with being a Bear.

“Bridgewater is very important to us. I think we will always go back to visit whenever we can,” Monagle said. “It’s where we started our life together.”

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

Bridgewater is very important to us. I think we will always go back to visit whenever we can. It’s where we started our life together.

Maddie Monagle, ’18

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Alumni’s Personal Training Business Rooted in BSU Studies

BBENSON@bridgew.edu — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 16:37:14 +0000

Alumni’s Personal Training Business Rooted in BSU Studies BBENSON@bridgew.edu Wed, 02/04/2026 - 11:37

Entrepreneurs credit Bridgewater with providing the right programs for success

February 5, 2026

Brian Benson, G’23

Jonady St. Germain and Darren Stephens have been friends and classmates since they were in elementary school. As ��רע��Ʒ�� students, they added a new dimension to their relationship.

While pursuing degrees in exercise science and business, the Class of 2018 graduates co-founded their own personal training business, LIT2LIFT. This new venture dovetailed perfectly with their Bridgewater State experiences, they said.

“Bridgewater helped us to develop our work ethic,” St. Germain said. “We’re always willing to push each other.”

Nine years after its launch, LIT2LIFT offers 1-on-1, partner and small group training along with weekly classes in Boston’s Fort Point neighborhood. Known as “Boston’s Black fitness duo,” St. Germain and Stephens also speak at wellness events. They have even built a fitness/lifestyle brand and a popular Instagram channel with almost 20,000 followers.

As an exercise science major at BSU, St. Germain learned the fundamentals of being a personal trainer including how to project his voice, engage clients and design a gym.

“A lot of my classes lined up exactly with what I do now,” he said.

With a degree in management, Stephens provides the business acumen that keeps the company running.

“I just knew I wanted to be at the head of something,” said Stephens, who minored in health science. “Business management gave me that opportunity.”

Stephens also appreciated the diversity of students with whom he interacted in college.

BSU “helped me communicate with people from different walks of life,” he said. “I credit a lot of that to Bridgewater.”

Many of their clients are looking to lose weight – something to which St. Germain and Stephens can also relate. As Bridgewater students, they overcame the so-called “freshman 15” by rededicating themselves to working out.

The benefits of doing so, they said, extended to all facets of their lives.

“It’s about allowing people to gain that confidence through weight loss,” St. Germain said.

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

A lot of my classes lined up exactly with what I do now.

Jonady St. Germain, '18

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Alum Educator Makes the World his Classroom

HHARRIS@bridgew.edu — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:47:06 +0000

Alum Educator Makes the World his Classroom HHARRIS@bridgew.edu Wed, 01/21/2026 - 13:47

Herbert Leonard, ’19, brings global perspective gained at BSU to Taunton High School

January 27, 2026

Heather Harris Michonski

As long as he can remember, Herbert Leonard, ’19, knew he wanted to teach and where he was going to continue his education after high school.

“��רע��Ʒ��,” Leonard said. “It was close to home, a local school and has always had a great reputation for education.”

His decision paid off. Today he works as a Spanish teacher at Taunton High School, the same school where he performed his student teaching internship as an undergraduate.

After graduating from BSU with a degree in Spanish, Leonard later returned to his alma mater to complete a post-baccalaureate student teaching practicum through the Department of Secondary Education and Educational Leadership. He is now pursuing doctoral studies at Northeastern University.

“As an undergrad at BSU, Herbert was a standout student. He was even offered the chance to be a long-term paid substitute while doing his student teaching, which is very rare,” said Secondary Education Associate Professor Melissa LaBelle. “Herbert is a shining example of someone who took full advantage of his BSU education and is making a real impact in the field of education.”

Leonard is humbled by his former professor’s words but agrees the support he received at BSU was instrumental in guiding him.

“I love Bridgewater, I really do. I still talk to my professors today. Some of my best friends are people I met at Bridgewater…It really was a great experience, I loved all my time there,” he said.

Initially, Leonard thought he wanted to teach English. But when he took a Spanish class, he knew teaching bilingualism was his passion.

“Once I started learning Spanish, I knew that yes, this is what I want. Ever since then I’ve been working towards that, traveling, studying abroad and learning all I can so I can pass on that knowledge to my students,” he said.

As a student at BSU, he participated in a study tour in the Azores with the Department of Global Languages and Literatures. Before working full-time at Taunton, he also lived in Spain for a year, teaching in the public school system there.

“When you travel, live or study abroad it opens so many doors. You are given opportunities to meet people and learn about other cultures. You learn about others, but you also learn about yourself,” Leonard said.

He translates those experiences into his classroom.

“It’s so important to recognize other people’s perspectives and opinions and to be able to communicate with them in a language they understand. That’s huge,” Leonard said. “I really love building connections with students, especially in language. To see them start to speak words, to see their growth, that’s what I love the most (about teaching).”

That passion, Dr. LaBelle said, is what sets her former student apart.

“He really is such a strong leader and mentor for students and models each day the importance of bilingualism and multilingualism,” she said. “It is an important mission for him to honor and leverage students’ diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds as assets in the classroom.”

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

I love Bridgewater, I really do. I still talk to my professors today. Some of my best friends are people I met at Bridgewater…It really was a great experience, I loved all my time there.

Herbert Leonard, ’19

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Alumnus Paints Portraits of Victims of Nazi Persecution

BBENSON@bridgew.edu — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 20:01:08 +0000

Alumnus Paints Portraits of Victims of Nazi Persecution BBENSON@bridgew.edu Wed, 01/14/2026 - 15:01

Bry Sharland’s work tells the stories of queer individuals imprisoned in concentration camps

January 15, 2026

Brian Benson, G'23

Fritz Kitzing was first arrested for simply wearing gender non-conforming clothing. Josef Kohout’s “crime”? Mailing a Christmas card to his boyfriend.

Kitzing and Kohout were among thousands of LGBT people imprisoned by the Nazis in World War II concentration camps during the Holocaust. While they both survived, many others died after facing horrific living conditions and torture at the hands of their captors.

Now their stories – and faces – live on through the talent of painter Bry Sharland, ’07, who is creating portraits of the victims.

“I hope it’s not just an upsetting reminder of something bad, but rather a celebration of the amazing lives people lived and an awareness of how freedom turned into tyranny,” said Sharland, who studied fine arts and secondary education at Bridgewater State and teaches middle school art in East Bridgewater.

Sharland named his initiative the Pink Triangle Portraits, a reference to the uniform patches that gay prisoners had to wear in concentration camps. He has painted about 60 portraits, many of which are on display through January at the Bridgewater Public Library.

Sharland uses bright, vibrant colors because, as he writes on his website, he is “giving color and dignity to those who had it stripped away.” Though he is predominately working from arrest records and mug shots, Sharland paints most individuals in street clothes rather than prison uniforms.

“The project became less about just documenting the people and more about celebrating the stories of their lives,” he said.

Sharland writes short narratives that accompany the portraits. These biographies offer a comprehensive view of their lives, rather than solely focusing on their incarceration.

He is not sure how he became interested in this lesser-known aspect of the Holocaust. But he remembers a high school history teacher letting him speak about the other minority groups who were targeted by Nazis alongside Jewish people.

In college, Sharland created artwork depicting scenes from concentration camps. He appreciated how his Bridgewater professors challenged him to explore new art mediums.

“I felt like it was always a supportive place,” Sharland said, recalling how he first made connections on campus as president of his high school’s Gay-Straight Alliance. “It was always a welcoming environment for queer people.”

He praised faculty for helping him hone his research and writing skills. He even studied German, something that is useful as he scours archives for photos and biographical information.

Sharland has gathered information on about 500 people, although that represents just a fraction of the victims. The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum estimates that 5,000 to 15,000 homosexual men were imprisoned in concentration camps and approximately 50,000 men served prison terms as convicted homosexuals. Sharland is committed to telling as many stories as possible.

“It’s taking the narrative away from the Nazis and giving it back to the queer individual,” he said.

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

I hope it’s not just an upsetting reminder of something bad, but rather a celebration of the amazing lives people lived and an awareness of how freedom turned into tyranny.

Bry Sharland, ’07

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Alumni Profile

Photo by Charlie Peters, G'20

An Alumni Success Story in Business and Leadership

HHARRIS@bridgew.edu — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 16:12:23 +0000

An Alumni Success Story in Business and Leadership HHARRIS@bridgew.edu Wed, 12/24/2025 - 11:12

From student-athlete to entrepreneur, Sal Longo ’06 continues to give back

January 6, 2026

Heather Harris Michonski

Back when Sal Longo, ’06, was choosing a college, he wanted a place where he could play football and earn his degree without emerging buried in debt. Bridgewater State, then College, checked that box and many others.

“It was a natural fit for me,” he said. “The four years I spent there were amazing.”

While studying and serving as captain of the football team in both his junior and senior year, Longo also worked part-time for a party-rental company called Busy Bee that rents out inflatables, water slides, foosball, bouncy houses and more.

On his first delivery he dropped off a water slide to a family in Hanover. The trip changed the trajectory of his career.

“I saw the joy on the kids’ faces, the mom was super happy, and they gave me good tip. I thought, there is something different here than any other service industry I’ve been in before,” Longo said.

He continued to work for the company throughout college and stayed on after he graduated with a degree in business administration.

Today Longo owns Busy Bee and has turned the Whitman-based company into a leader in the party rental world.

The company generates between $350,000 to $400,000 in gross revenue per week during peak months and completed more than 150,000 events in 2025.

This summer, Busy Bee entered a new phase: franchising. Earlier this year, the company launched its franchise system: new locations have since opened in Worcester, Rhode Island and Cape Cod.

So where did Longo develop his impressive business skills? According to him, at his alma mater.

“At the end of the day, I don’t think any of this would have been possible if I didn’t go to Bridgewater State,” he said. “I’m thankful for that. Yes, I’ve worked hard, but Bridgewater helped put me on the right path. I wouldn’t be on this journey now and am indebted to the university for a lot of my success.”

He said a lot of that support came from BSU’s current head football coach Joe Verria.

“I’m a huge believer that you have to have mentors in life. Joe was a mentor for me and as my business continues to expand I have the opportunity to give back and mentor young kids. Mentoring is tremendous, it’s a foundational piece for anyone’s growth,” Longo said.

Over the years, Longo has also hired Bridgewater State students to work at Busy Bee, providing them with the opportunity to start building their own resumes.

“It’s about building a strong tool kit,” he said. “I tell them to not worry about what you’re getting paid, worry about what you’re learning. As you build your took kit, you become valuable. When you get more tools in that kit, you become irreplaceable.”

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

At the end of the day, I don’t think any of this would have been possible if I didn’t go to Bridgewater State. I’m thankful for that. Yes, I’ve worked hard, but Bridgewater helped put me on the right path. I wouldn’t be on this journey now and am indebted to the university for a lot of my success.

Sal Longo, ’06

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Image courtesy of Busy Bee Jumpers

Cancer Survivor Finds New Passion in Acting

HHARRIS@bridgew.edu — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 19:31:14 +0000

Cancer Survivor Finds New Passion in Acting HHARRIS@bridgew.edu Mon, 12/08/2025 - 14:31

Erron Custadio ’10 pursues film while reflecting on fatherhood, resilience, and risk-taking

December 16, 2025

Heather Harris Michonski

Five years after graduating from ��רע��Ʒ�� Erron Custadio, ’10, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

His treatment involved surgery and removing half of one of his organs.

“During that time, I really had to focus on my health. I was deterred professionally for a year in terms of growth,” he said.

Today he is cancer-free and savoring every moment and is not afraid to take risks. The married father of two works as a buyer and planner for Millstone Medical Outsourcing, but he’s also pursuing a new dream, acting, and recently landed a lead role in an upcoming film.

“Being a dad is job number one. I also really like my day job and love the company I work for. But, acting, it allows me to nurture my creative side,” Custadio said.

Looking back, he credits some of the experiences and lessons he gained at BSU for helping him prepare for the workforce and giving him confidence to pursue new passion.

Custadio had transferred to BSU in part because he had heard of the school’s reputation.

“I have fond memories of my time (at BSU),” he said, adding that he made the right decision.

His acting career began when his wife and mother gifted him with classes at the Trinity Repertory Company Theater one Christmas.

“This was prior to having kids, “Custadio said. “I took some dramatic acting classes and thrived.”

He eventually found his niche in improv and performed stand up at local venues. But his first major role ended up not being in comedy, but horror. His wife came across the audition listing online and encouraged him to try.

“It was the first audition I had ever been on, and I auditioned for the villain. But they saw me as a ‘soft-dad type’ and so I read for a different part.”

Little did he know that the “different part” ended up being the lead role in the movie.

The Rez is currently being shopped around to different streaming platforms and is expected to premiere at local theaters later this year. In the film, Custadio plays a podcaster who deals with the paranormal who takes his family and friends to the Freetown State Forrest to record an episode and accidently stumbles on a cult in the woods.

Now that the film has wrapped, he has admittedly been bit by the acting bug.

“I would eventually love to write and star in my own films,” he said. Knowing his children will get to see him in The Rez is emotional.

“My dad died when I was a little kid. I don’t remember what his voice sounds like…Being in this film, leaving a piece of me to them, something where they can always see me, walking around—that’s the coolest part,” Custadio said.

For BSU students trying to figure out their place in the world, Custadio encourages them to live in the moment, to make the most of their time while at school and beyond.

“When you make good choices academically and professionally, consider more who you want to be, not what you want to be. Find that sweet spot, your passion, and the things you’re good at,” he said.

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

When you make good choices academically and professionally, consider more who you want to be, not what you want to be. Find that sweet spot, your passion, and the things you’re good at.

Erron Custadio ’10

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Mutual Admiration

BBENSON@bridgew.edu — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 20:20:19 +0000

Mutual Admiration BBENSON@bridgew.edu Wed, 11/12/2025 - 15:20

Alumna business owners support each other

November 13, 2025

Brian Benson, G'23

Entrepreneurs Laura Viola Maccarone, ’07, and Stephanie Boyle, ’11, never met as Bridgewater State students, but they are now each other’s biggest supporters as small business owners.

“It’s been an incredible ride,” said Maccarone, who founded graphic design firm Rizbee Studio almost a decade ago. “We’ve been not only colleagues but really become great friends.”

Boyle started her business, byFriday, 4 ½ years ago to provide administrative services for other firms. One of her clients is Rizbee Studio, and Boyle and Maccarone’s relationship quickly grew into a sisterhood. Their bond became stronger upon discovering they shared an alma mater that played a pivotal role in their careers.

For Boyle, everything changed when – as a BSU student – she was alone in a parking lot crying and overwhelmed about an uncertain future. Fellow student Matthew Reopell asked her what was wrong and helped her discover BSU’s communication department.

“I had no idea what I wanted to do,” recalled Boyle, who changed her major from business to communications. “He took the time to help me find what I wanted to do and help me find the right people.”

Maccarone struggled as an English major, but found her home in the art department.

“I knew the career path that I wanted – to design for magazines – but I didn’t know how to get there (until becoming an art major),” she said.

She served as editor-in-chief of student literary and art magazine The Bridge and appreciated the mentorship of Professor Mary Dondero, who is an entrepreneur herself. After working in the magazine industry in Manhattan, Maccarone returned to Massachusetts ready to become her own boss.

“What really inspired me was Mary Dondero,” Maccarone said, praising her work ethic. “I was like I could do this one day.”

When she landed her first major client, Dondero was there to offer advice. Maccarone still asks her former professor for feedback on her work.

Boyle, who was a WBIM DJ as a student, started byFriday after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Her disability made working a traditional 9-5 job challenging. byFriday was born during a conversation with her acupuncturist, who became her first client.

Boyle credits BSU with teaching the communication, time management and networking skills to succeed as an entrepreneur.

“There was no roadmap for me,” she said. “What I took away was making connections and learning how to meet the right people.”

One of those people is Maccarrone, who became a mentor as Boyle grew her business.

“It really is that sorority sister feeling,” Maccarone said. “We understand each other in a certain way.”

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

It’s been an incredible ride. We’ve been not only colleagues but really become great friends.

Laura Viola Maccarone, ’07

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Mastering Social Work

BBENSON@bridgew.edu — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 20:17:37 +0000

Mastering Social Work BBENSON@bridgew.edu Mon, 10/20/2025 - 16:17

Alumna's grad degree bolsters career

October 21, 2025

Brian Benson, G'23

Dorrette Bogle Stephenson, G’22, entered ��רע��Ʒ��’s social work program with extensive professional experience. However, she wanted one more addition to her resume: a master’s degree.

“For me, it was all about the diversity in terms of staff and students. I just love (interacting with) all kinds of people,” Stephenson said. “The professors were very helpful and approachable, and I could tell they wanted us to succeed.”

While at BSU, she was also working for the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families.

In many ways, Stephenson was born to be a social worker. She has long strived to make a positive difference for others – even while growing up in Jamaica and England. As a child, she was often the person who would stand up to school bullies.

Stephenson eventually moved to the U.S., where she started a nearly 27-year career serving some of Massachusetts’ most vulnerable children at DCF. For much of that time, she reviewed foster children’s cases to ensure the youngsters were safe and received appropriate services as officials worked to find permanent housing.

Today, she lives in Virginia and runs a life-coaching business as a way to continue serving others.

“I have a lot of energy, and I need to use it,” she said. “I also feel very blessed to have a lot of gifts to give. So, I need to use them in a positive way.”

In addition to life-coaching, Stephenson is a reenactor. She portrays Mary Seacole, who was also born in Jamaica and moved to England. Seacole is known for serving as a nurse for wounded soldiers during the Crimean War in the 1850s.

At BSU, Stephenson relished the opportunity to be back in a classroom. As one of the older students in the program, she shared her life experiences with her younger classmates. She also appreciated professors such as Dr. Taylor Hall, ’10, who she said brought an infectious energy to class and taught in a way that students did not feel judged or pressured.

She especially enjoyed the strong camaraderie and teamwork within the program.

“We cannot and should not do everything ourselves. We’re learning from others and growing,” she said of an important takeaway from her BSU classes. “I consider myself a lifelong learner. Every day I learn something new.”

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

We cannot and should not do everything ourselves. We’re learning from others and growing. I consider myself a lifelong learner. Every day I learn something new.

Dorrette Bogle Stephenson, G’22

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Graduate Studies

New Addition

BBENSON@bridgew.edu — Tue, 14 Oct 2025 14:58:19 +0000

New Addition BBENSON@bridgew.edu Tue, 10/14/2025 - 10:58

Alumna returns to BSU as math instructor

October 14, 2025

Brian Benson, G'23

When Jill Milton, ’94, arrived at Bridgewater State as a freshman, she had the passion to become a teacher but lacked the skills to first be a successful student.

Bridgewater, she recalled, was the perfect place for a first-generation student like her to grow academically.

“Bridgewater was well prepared to help me improve my writing and my research skills,” said Milton, who studied early childhood education. “I learned how to problem solve and time manage.”

Three decades later, Milton is back at her alma matter as a part-time instructor teaching math for aspiring elementary school educators. Her class helps students understand fundamental concepts at a deeper level, preparing them to effectively teach math in their careers.

Most of her students are in their first semester of college and remind Milton of herself as a college student.

“I have a lot of gratitude for what Bridgewater gave me,” she said. “I have a perspective now where I have the ability to help students as they transition from high school to college and build those skills they need.”

Milton encourages students to utilize the numerous academic and social emotional supports available on campus. She hopes to inspire them just as her professors left an indelible mark on her through their enthusiasm and commitment.

Milton credits an introduction to college class with establishing the foundational skills she lacked. While she initially had a low GPA, she became acclimated to a college environment and worked hard to steadily improve.

As she took classes within her major, she tapped into a longstanding passion for working with children. While growing up, Milton enjoyed spending time with her younger cousins and being a babysitter. As a Bridgewater student, she appreciated hands-on experiences in which she worked closely with Brockton youngsters.

“I remember leaving there and being a bit emotional,” she said. “I started to realize the opportunity I would have as a teacher working with students and having an impact on their learning.”

Milton began her career as an elementary school teacher and advanced to an administrator specializing in mathematics curriculum, data analysis and teacher professional development. Seeking more flexibility in her work life, Milton now runs a math tutoring business and teaches college classes.

She relishes the full-circle moments she experiences whenever she returns to her alma mater, a university she said was the essential backbone for all of her professional accomplishments.

“I love Bridgewater and its campus,” Milton said. “It’s a special place.”

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

Bridgewater was well prepared to help me improve my writing and my research skills. I learned how to problem solve and time manage.

Jill Milton, ’94

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Faculty Focus

Coached Up

HHARRIS@bridgew.edu — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 15:15:05 +0000

Coached Up HHARRIS@bridgew.edu Mon, 09/29/2025 - 11:15

Alumnus finds career coaching baseball from the pros to college and local schools

October 16, 2025

Heather Harris Michonski

Getting cut from the ��רע��Ʒ�� baseball team could have been the end of Joshua Rodrigues’ baseball journey. However, for Rodrigues, ’11, G’17, it turned out to be just the beginning.

“It was honestly the best thing to ever happen to me. I am not the greatest player but have a passion for the game,” he said. “Getting cut made me more passionate about coaching. I knew my player career was done, but it also created an opportunity for me.”

Rodrigues came to BSU because he wanted to teach and through word-of-mouth had heard about the school’s highly respected education program.

“Bridgewater has a great reputation for being a teaching school, I knew I wanted to pursue that,” he said. “Teaching, I realized, also gave me the opportunity to also pursue coaching.”

Since graduating with a bachelor’s degree in history and master’s in education, Rodrigues has gone on to teach technology in Sandwich and Seekonk. The teacher’s schedule also allowed him to coach.

One of his early gigs was assistant coach with the Bourne Braves in the Cape Cod League. From there he found an assistant coaching position at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

“Around that time, I also started a blog and shared professional development ideas that coaches could mimic or do,” Rodrigues said.

Major League Baseball took notice, and soon the double Bear found himself interviewing for a coaching position with the Tampa Bay Rays.

“I was offered and took the job with Tampa. I was a little upset about leaving (Seekonk), I loved the school and my hometown but took a leap of faith that my passion would pay off,” Rodrigues said.

For a year, Rodrigues traveled with the team and helped coaches and players understand game analysis using data and technology. Then COVID hit, and things shifted. Rodrigues decided to come back home to teach and coach.

But in 2023, a friend told him about a position with the Baltimore Orioles, one he thought Rodrigues would be a good match for. He applied, was hired and for three years worked with the organization in the minors, helping players better understand game situations.

“Coaching, it’s just like being in the classroom. I saw my technical skills transfer over into my passion,” he said. “I loved every minute of it…Knowing I was able to help make a player better, how to learn from mistakes. It was great to have that kind of impact.”

After three years of living on the road and being away from his wife Audrey, he decided it was time to take a break and come home. Today he’s back teaching at Seekonk and working as an assistant baseball coach at UMASS Dartmouth.

He hasn’t given up on coaching at the professional level but would like to further explore the collegiate level.

“My passion isn’t ever going to go away. I’d love to be a head coach at a college, even help and give back to my alma mater in some way,” Rodrigues said. “I loved Bridgewater. I really found myself as a student, a person when I was there,” he said. “It was a moment in time when I came into who I was as a person, and overall, it was a super positive experience.”

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

I loved Bridgewater. I really found myself as a student, a person when I was there. It was a moment in time when I came into who I was as a person, and overall, it was a super positive experience.

Joshua Rodrigues, '11, G'17

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