Photo of Berta Hysell superimposed over multicultural flags
Gifts to Multicultural Scholarship honor Berta Hysell
May 15, 2020, by Staff Writer
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Gifts to the Berta Hysell and Friends Multicultural Scholarship have come from nearly 100 alumni and friends of Bryant and total more than $90,000 since it was launched in 2008.

Roberta "Berta" Hysell, who retired after 17 years of service to Bryant University, is remembered for making multicultural and international students feel truly welcome at Bryant. She made it a point to meet every student the day each arrived on campus. 

Her career at Bryant began in 1977. Through the years, she created an impressive student-run tutoring program, and made a name for the University at college fairs that targeted previously underserved populations. As she built a tradition of multiculturalism at Bryant, she also mentored the students under her guidance. 

“Berta was a mother-figure on campus for many of us, and meted out the tough love that we sometimes needed, says Vin Pina ’88, an early, and now annual, Berta Hysell and Friends Multicutural Scholarship donor.  “She was also fighting to give both multicultural and International students a voice on campus, and a home away from home.” 

“During the campaign, our goal was to reach $80,000 in honor of Berta Hysell’s 80th birthday in October of 2016,” notes Executive Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement Robin Torbron Warde P ’17, who championed the scholarship with some of Berta’s former students as a way to say thank you. Now, even former scholarship recipients are giving back to the same scholarship that supported them as students.

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