It blossomed from something I thought was just a class into a career opportunity.
Anna Dykhoff, ’26, enrolled in an English class on grant writing hoping to learn a new skill. By the end of the semester, she was able to add even more to her resume.
The class challenged students to work with A&A Metro Transportation to support its Bridgewater Cares on-demand public transit system for town residents and BSU students. And, thanks to connections she made, Anna is a summer intern for the organization.
“It blossomed from something I thought was just a class into a career opportunity,” she said.
That’s just one of the many benefits of BSU’s Collaborative University Business Experiences (CUBEs) program. In CUBEs classes such as this one taught by Dr. Lisa Litterio, students work with local organizations on semester-long projects that are embedded within the course.
Students visited A&A Metro’s offices and the Senior Center and met with users of the service. They established a TikTok account, produced Instagram posts and wrote a federal grant proposal for Bridgewater Cares, which is currently funded by the state, town of Bridgewater and BSU. They even received feedback on the proposal from Congressman Bill Keating’s staff.
“It’s mirroring what the workplace is about and what the world is about,” said Litterio, who hopes the course helps students expand their writing and career horizons. “It’s seeing the classroom as a place to do grant writing.”
Students embraced the opportunity and responsibility that comes with a project whose impact stretched far beyond the classroom.
“It’s very rewarding,” said Cam Rodericks, a marketing major who expects to finish his degree in the fall. “I’m learning something I can apply to real life.”
Dasia Peters, ’24, added: “I feel like I’m actually doing something that has a greater purpose. Just the thought of being able to actually get funding that can help the community is really motivating to me.”
Dasia, a communication studies major and member of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, hopes to use her new skills to help her tribe apply for federal grants.
Anna, who focused in class on enhancing Bridgewater Cares’ social media accounts, looks forward to growing A&A Metro’s online presence during her internship.
“We’re being trusted as professionals,” Anna said of the course. “It’s not work just to get a grade.”
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