Building connections since 1880
The student experience at Bridgewater College has been shaped and defined by connections since 1880.
Bridgewater’s commitment to building connections for life gives you more opportunities to flourish. More opportunities to participate in sports, theatre, music, clubs and organizations. To exercise leadership. And to develop and achieve your potential through the support of faculty mentors.
Bridgewater Facts
Get to know our community that features small class sizes, approximately 60 academic programs, enriching extracurricular opportunities and more.
Administration
Bridgewater College is led by a dedicated and experienced team of individuals who are committed to the institution’s mission and the success of its students.
Rankings at Bridgewater College
We’re proud of our rankings and we believe they illustrate the college’s commitment to our students.
A message from President Bushman
Greetings from Bridgewater College! To our prospective students, parents, alumni and friends, I’m grateful we’re on your mind. Our website offers a window on the life of the College through which you can explore the latest news and events at Bridgewater. As with any window, though, the view is not complete—I hope you’ll visit campus and experience all that Bridgewater College has to offer.
I’m often asked to speak about the mission of the College and our commitment to excellence in the education of our students. I relish these opportunities because I know firsthand the transformative power of the Bridgewater experience, and it is something very much worth sharing. We intentionally design the student experience here to focus on connections—with inspiring classmates, with our faculty of scholars and mentors, with big ideas, and with the broader world.
Because of these connections, BC is a place where students can be themselves, let down their guard and know that they belong. But we ask important things of our students, too. To be there for others, to talk with—not at—one another.
It’s this shared sense of responsibility and accountability that reflects our heritage and makes life at Bridgewater engaging and complete. Students participate in energizing and thought-provoking classroom discussions. They see the world from different perspectives. And, in the process, they make some of the most meaningful friendships of their lives.
While we are a relatively small community of 1,450 students, the opportunities available to our students are big. Our students conduct research with faculty, study abroad during May Term, become excellent public speakers, participate in internships around the region, and discuss and learn from the different perspectives of their diverse peers. Connections guide everything we do at Bridgewater, inside and outside the classroom. These connections ensure that our students graduate from BC prepared and courageous, with a sense of purpose that prepares them for professional accomplishment and personal fulfillment. They are ready to make a difference, in their communities and in the world.
I hope you will join us and witness for yourself the power that comes from the relationships and connections we build here.
With warm regards,
David W. Bushman, Ph.D.
President
Breathtaking beauty &
culturally rich
Bridgewater’s backyard is one of the most scenic areas in the nation. The Shenandoah Valley. Expansive farmland with a backdrop of mountains on both sides—the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east and the Allegheny Mountains to the west.
History and Traditions
When you become a part of the BC community, you become part of a history that goes all the way back to 1880.
Mission and Goals
Bridgewater College empowers students to lead principled lives of purpose and consequence marked by professional accomplishment and personal fulfillment.
Church Affiliation
BC is historically affiliated with the Church of the Brethren, a Christian denomination focused on the core values of equality, community, simplicity, service and peace.
