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Sal Bigay’s interest in community-building came with him to Connecticut College, but his research journey has since led him to help others build their own.
The recipient of a $3,000 Mellon Undergraduate Research Program grant, Bigay decided to research Boston’s arts community, specifically as it relates to the public art scene.
“The College connected me with one of Conn’s distinguished artists, Kate Gilbert, class of 1996,” he said. With her guidance, Bigay surveyed community members in hopes of trying to understand their impression of public art—where it’s most visible, how it can be used as a political vehicle, and the relationship between public art and the community. He connected personally with influential voices in the arts community and developed an appreciation for contemporary art practices.
“Having the chance to partner with Kate was incredible,” Bigay said, noting that what most inspired him was how her studio cultivates the role of arts in transforming a city, a community, individual relationship and even individuals.
This interaction between communities and the people who comprise them prompted Bigay to examine the intricate dynamics of other types of communities, including on an international scale as part of the Study Away Teach Away Vietnam program in the spring of his junior year.
Led by Professor of Economics Donald Peppard and Professor of Government and International Relations William Frasure, SATA Vietnam immersed Bigay in the life of the developing country. While there, he studied economics, history, politics and social systems. He also saw community in a new light.
“Seeing the close-knit family structure in the communities we visited and watching entire families work together in a business setting were so powerful,” Bigay said. “My perspective on the world opened up immensely.” His time in Vietnam also helped him grow as a leader among his fellow travelers. Recognizing Bigay’s natural energy, enthusiasm and leadership qualities, Frasure and Peppard selected him as the student liaison between them and the 14 other students participating in the program.
“It was clear that Sal had the background and attitude to take on this position,” Peppard said. The position reaffirmed something else for Bigay, too—the power of collaboration in community-building. It was that realization that inspired him to study another type of community, this time in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
“It was while teaching English there that I actually pulled all the components together,” he explained.
Building on the lessons learned in engaging the Boston community in the arts, of connecting with Vietnamese communities and his leadership experiences, Bigay was able to build a community of engaged learners in his Cambodian classroom.
“I found my future in that experience,” Bigay said. “I returned to the States with a whole new view on life.”
He is now considering a completely different path post-graduation—earning a master’s degree in higher education administration.
“I want to pay it forward, in a sense, and ensure that students take advantage of every opportunity to build their own communities while on campus, but also that they make connections with other people, other communities and other cultures along the way.”