BRIDGE Program Featured in Upcoming Instructional Innovation Conference

Boston University School of Social Work is pleased to announce its BRIDGE Program will be featured during a topic table session at the Instructional Innovation Conference on March 27, 2009. Organized by the Center for Excellence in Teaching at Boston University, the conference highlights innovative programs and teaching models across the BU academic community.

The BRIDGE Program (Building Refugee and Immigrant Degrees for Graduate Education) is led by BUSSW Professors Lee Staples and Mojdeh Rohani, and is a four-tiered workforce development program, specifically designed for refugee, immigrant and other newcomer populations. Approximately 11 students are currently enrolled in the program, representing countries as diverse as Cambodia, Cameroon, China, Columbia, Congo, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Haiti, Poland, Somalia, and Sudan.

“The BRIDGE model is designed for workforce development and empowerment,” explained Rohani. “There is a lot of great experience newcomer populations bring with them, [but they often need to] transfer those skills and take it to the next step.”

Looking forward to discussing the BRIDGE Program at the Innovation Conference in March, Staples and Rohani have no doubt this new training model has larger implications. Said Staples, “This is exciting because it’s a replicable program across the University.”

For more information about the BRIDGE Program, please contact Lee Staples or Mojdeh Rohani.
About BUSSW:

Distinguished by its urban mission and clinical and macro practice focus, the Boston University School of Social Work is committed to educating masters’ and doctoral level students who will become leaders in a multicultural environment. The School offers the MSW and PhD degrees, as well as continuing professional education, and its nationally recognized faculty has been ranked 8th among schools of social work with doctoral programs. Located in a diverse and academically rich community, the School offers almost unlimited opportunities for urban social work practice and research. Visit bu.edu/ssw for more information.

About Boston University:

Founded in 1839, Boston University is an internationally recognized institution of higher education and research. With more than 30,000 students, it is the fourth largest independent university in the United States. BU consists of 17 colleges and schools along with a number of multi-disciplinary centers and institutes which are central to the school’s research and teaching mission.