A mentor and financial adviser, Louis Ricciardi, ’81, turned a Bridgewater State education into a highly successful career in business.
He has never forgotten his start at Bridgewater, and BSU recognizes his service to his alma mater through the naming of one of its colleges.
Named For
Louis Ricciardi, ’81
The Backstory
Drawing on skills gained as an English major and economics minor, Ricciardi became one of the top financial advisors in the country.
“The path I have taken was truly honed at Bridgewater State College,” he said in 2020.
Ricciardi has served the university for more than 40 years, including a long tenure on the Board of Trustees that began at age 29 as the youngest ever alumni trustee. He has funded internships and scholarships and mentored students.
“Lou Ricciardi exemplifies the best in a public servant,” former President Dana Mohler-Faria said in 2011. “His commitment to public higher education, his leadership, his steadfast allegiance to Bridgewater’s students, and his tireless efforts on behalf of his alma mater are without equal.”
In 2012, Bridgewater named the college, formally linking Ricciardi with business education and recognizing his contributions to his alma mater and career success.
Use Today
Founded as the School of Management and Aviation Science during the 1997-1998 academic year, the college includes the Department of Accounting and Finance, the Department of Aviation Science and the Department of Management and Marketing.
In recent years, college officials launched Collaborative University Business Experiences, an initiative that challenges students to complete real-world projects with actual companies as part of their coursework.
Material in this article comes from a 2020 BSU News article by Brian Benson, G'23, and a article by Karen Booth.