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First-Year Students

Know that you belong

Bridgewater is built on close relationships, and we do everything we can to bring people together. In the classroom, you’ll bond with your peers and your professors as you push yourself to explore new ideas and concepts. Outside the classroom, you’ll form lasting friendships—and have plenty of fun, too.

#3 
Private college in Virginia
According to some
 99%
Of students get financial assistance
 75+
Clubs and student organizations
 1,800 
Full-time students

A community like no other

In and out of the classroom, we’re continually creating new ways to learn from and with one another. These ever-evolving connections make college mean more—and offer a lifelong model for thriving in your career and in the world. Here are two events to get you started:

Gather as one

Lean in, learn and really get to know your classmates at the Journey of Lights, an outdoor festival in December that celebrates the Bridgewater community’s different faiths and cultures.

Celebrate together

Embrace our diversity at Bridgewater’s annual Intercultural Festival and see how our differences actually bring us closer together. You’ll hear from guest speakers, listen to world music and share delicious food.

See the world from here

Two students, one common destination—and countless lessons learned while studying abroad for a semester.

Emma Daw
Emma Daw, health and exercise science major

Emma spent a semester in Cyprus. From there she visited several nearby countries and also traveled to Palestine, where she stayed with a fellow Bridgewater student and his family. Her biggest takeaway? The world gets much smaller when you venture out into it.

Hunter Potts, economics major
Hunter Potts, economics major

A future full of adventure

Hunter started his study abroad experience with a May Term trip to South Africa. After that, he spent a semester in Cyprus with Emma and interned at the U.S. Embassy. He’s not done globetrotting yet. He plans to apply for a Fulbright Scholarship or join the Peace Corps — and one day become a Foreign Service Officer.