BSU Family Hub Newsletter - Info on Homecoming, the Job and Internship Fair, Upcoming Events, and More!

Highlights from the
Career Services & Internships Office

The Fall Job & Internship Fair is a great way for employers and students to meet and discuss full-time professional-level opportunities and internships available in the region. Various organizations will be in attendance, considering multiple majors at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Please encourgae your student to attend this opportunity to network with over 70 employers in a variety of industries!

Students can register for this event using their Handshake account.

Highlights from the
Martin Richard Institute for Social Justice (MRISJ)

We're Hiring!

Is your student interested in social justice and looking for ways to make an impact in their community? The Martin Richard Institute for Social Justice (MRISJ) is now hiring student Justice Fellows, Alternative Break Team Leaders, and Marketing Assistants for the 2024-2025 academic year!

Your student can learn more about all of our open positions and apply online here.

Questions? Contact mrisj@bridgew.edu for more information!

Upcoming Service Project Opportunity for Your Student

Students can volunteer with the Martin Richard Institute of Social Justice (MRISJ) on Saturday, September 28th for our annual Sharing the Harvest service project! Student volunteers will help prepare the fields and harvest food that will be donated to local food backs to support community members facing food insecurity.

This event is open to current BSU students. Transportation, a light breakfast, and lunch will be provided. BSU students can sign up on EngageBSU here. 

Questions? Contact Laura Mulvey (Lmulvey@bridgew.edu). 

Fraternity & Sorority Life at BSU

With 9 Sororities and Fraternities on campus, Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) makes up over 230 students on campus and is a great way for your student to develop leadership skills, make connections and get involved in philanthropy and service!

Recuritment for all of our FSL organizations is coming up very soon! Click here to learn more about our various fraternities and sororities, including recruitment and other important info! 
 

BSU Votes
What's on Your Ballot?

BSU Votes is your resource hub for all things voting! There you'll find important dates & deadlines, resources to check or update your voter registration status, information for first time voters and more!

Mentor Spotlight
Bears on Campus 

Bear Mentors are trained student leaders who offer support to our new to BSU students through the First Semester Roadmap program. Each newsletter we will be including an update from one of these students so you can hear and learn more about life at BSU! 

Written by Caralyn Smith '26, Bear Mentor

The school year has begun, and with that comes a sigh of relief for many parents [family members and supporters] that their student's journey has finally begun and they are on their way to adulthood - especially for those going out on their own for the first time as residents on campus.

But in many cases, this new freedom for their student can cause a lot of anxiety for families [and supporters], whether or not they’ve previously sent children to college, or if this is their first student to leave the nest.

I know that when I first came to BSU two years ago (where did the time go?) both myself and my twin sister were headed in different directions to two different schools, coincidentally both 77 miles away from home, and our parents were apprehensive about how we would do in the new environment with practically no one that we would know at our respective schools. My mother was especially worried about our living on campus, as she had only ever commuted to each of her alma maters.

While we each had our own struggles adjusting to campus life, I am confident in saying that living on campus has been one of the most fulfilling experiences I’ve had, especially as I am now a Resident Assistant.

From my experience, I have created a guide for what your Bear could be experiencing as they are living on campus.

Prohibited Items: One of the biggest things I see on move-in days as an RA is families and supporters bringing in items that we as a school don’t allow residents to have due to safety concerns and fire hazards. Items such as upholstered furniture (extra couches or armchairs, large rectangular fabric ottomans, headboards, etc), air fryers/crockpots, and candles are among the most common items that we have to turn away on move-in days, and if we don’t catch them then and we find them in the residence halls during our health and safety inspections, we document the student(s) and ask them to take the prohibited items back to their house with them the next time the student returns home. 

• Dining Halls: We have many great dining options on campus for both residents and commuters, each of them offering different meals and snack options in a variety of ways. Locations can accept Meal Plan Swipes (used at ECC, Flynn Dining, and select meals at Bear’s Den/Park Ave. Diner), Dining Dollars (similar to using a debit card but a part of the BSU Connect Card and can only be used at the dining halls), Flex Dollars (akin to a debit card but on the BSU Connect Card and can also be used at various locations off-campus), Cash, Credit Cards and Apple Pay. Students can view the daily menus on campus online here.  
• Roommates/Roommate Troubles: For me, having conflict with my roommates was one of the things I was most apprehensive about when I first came to campus. In my first year, I lived in a triple in Scott Hall on the West side of campus, and I, to be honest, was terrified that we wouldn’t get along and the school year would be terrible as a result. Luckily, my roommates were great, and I am still living with one of them two years later, but I know that realistically that is not always the case. My biggest piece of advice to anyone worried about getting along with their roommates is always just to talk to them. Most of the time, especially for students living away from home for the first time, the idea of having a conversation about things that are bothering them about their roommates is the scariest thing in the world, but it truly is the best course of action, especially considering that one of the biggest tension builders for a shared space is a lack of communication. Another thing that I found to be helpful as I grew older and was more comfortable being in the residence halls was that while it would be nice to be the best of friends with your roommates; sometimes all you need is to be able to cohabitate, and I think that is something many first-year students don’t think about when they don’t immediately hit it off with their roommates. If all else fails and students have talked to their roommates and it goes nowhere, or if they have serious concerns about anything in the halls, or even if they just need some advice from another student, they can always talk to their RA or the RA on duty in their halls. We’ve been trained in conflict management and communication strategies, and we are here to support students. Communication is key, especially in the first few weeks of living with a new person.
• Getting Involved in the Halls: Getting involved on campus, for me, was one of the greatest achievements and pleasures I have had during my time at BSU. There are a plethora of ways to get involved through the platform EngageBSU, but what I feel the resident population isn’t always aware of are the programs that happen in their residence halls. RAs put on programs that are partially paid for by what we call Resident Fees (it is a part of the eBill) that are directed at a variety of things ranging from study sessions with snacks or a block party in partnership with a student organization to celebrate culture. RAs will put up flyers to promote their events throughout the hall about a week before the event is held. Residents are also invited to attend weekly Residence Hall Association (RHA) meetings on Wednesdays at 5 pm in RSU 201 to have a voice in what goes on in the residence halls, hear about various events on campus through many campus partners, allocate for brand new items in the residence halls such as kitchen supplies or game equipment, and get a chance to win a fun door prize.
• Academic Assistance: One of the biggest struggles for first-year students that I have noticed is the sudden shift in coursework. I know when I first came to BSU, I was pretty overwhelmed by the amount of assignments that my professors gave to me even in the first week of classes. Unlike in high school, most professors expect students to hold themselves accountable for their work, and many professors won’t give multiple reminders to students about when things are due, or guidelines for long-term papers or projects. For myself and a lot of my peers, this was very challenging to navigate on my own and I found myself swamped with assignments the night before they were due. Fortunately, I have found resources on campus that are implemented to help with academic struggles for students. The Academic Achievement Center (AAC), located on the ground floor of the library, provides students with anything they could need to be successful students. Click here for more information about the AAC.