Bryant University Archway
Success stories from Class of 2008: Fulfilling the promise of Bryant's integrated curriculum
Oct 05, 2018, by Staff Writer
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When the Class of 2008 arrived on campus in 2004, they broke new ground. They were the first to be wholly immersed in Bryant’s new integrated curriculum, which requires business majors to minor in liberal arts and vice versa. This distinctive and rigorous program of study contributed to their career success and their ability to effectuate positive change at their workplaces and beyond.

In launching this bold new approach, President Ronald K. Machtley envisioned “a new type of education, delivering the highest standards of academic excellence while balancing academic theory with practical realities – one that develops leadership, with a focus on character and ethics, that prepares our students to make a difference in the world throughout their lives.”

In short, an education that creates what the world needs: leaders of character inspired by an education that gives them a unique, comprehensive, and vital understanding of the world around them – and the tools and inspiration to change that world for the better.  As the University’s Provost and Chief Academic Officer Glenn M. Sulmasy, J.D., LL.M., says, “Bryant’s innovative, globally focused education provides the skills and insight our students seek in order to be successful and active citizens of the world.”

The fall 2018 edition of Bryant magazine features some of the 2008 graduates whose career paths illustrate the fulfillment and realization of President Machtley’s vision. While their career paths are as unique as the individuals, their stories share a common thread: they are using their exceptional Bryant education to better society, be it at the local, regional, national, or international level.

  • Elicia Wilson '08, Marketing major; Legal Studies and Communication minor; Chief Administrative Officer, National Fund for Workforce Solutions, Inc.
  • Roman Ward ’08, Management major; Communication minor; Managing Director, Randstad North America
  • Symphone’e Willoughby ’08, Management, English and Cultural Studies majors; Sociology minor; Human Resources Director, PepsiCo-FritoLay Snacks
  • Renee Gadsden ’08, Marketing major; Sociology minor; Master in Public Affairs and Nonprofit Studies Portfolio candidate 2019, Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, The University of Texas at Austin
  • Taryn Beaudoin ’08, Management, English and Cultural Studies majors; Founder and President of Crush Limits, Inc.
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