Moreno Valley Mom Makes Her Home in the Classroom

To her daughters, 25-year Moreno Valley resident Bridgette Callahan is a role model and an example of what perseverance and hard work can bring. When Callahan began taking night courses at Riverside Community College (RCC) years ago, there were a lot of changes in her life. Sometimes, it was difficult to balance the demands of motherhood and keep up with her studies at the same time, but with two associates degrees (one in the arts and one in science, both from RCC), one Bachelors of Arts degree in English and one Masters Degree in English Composition (both from California State University, San Bernardino) under her belt, and teaching experience both abroad and recently at the University of Redlands, Callahan is a testament to success, her daughters said. “It was tough for her to balance being a single mom and a student all at once, but her determination and dedication kept her going,” daughter Megan O’Malley said. While she went to school, Callahan raised four daughters: Kristin, now 27; Cathy, now 26; Megan, now 22; and Becca, now 19. Her daughters are quick to display the pride they feel about their mother’s hard work and determination. “Dreams do come true, with strength and determination and lots of motivation. She did it!” her daughter Kristin Werking said. Her daughter Becca O’Malley said, “When I think of my mom, I think of somebody who’s hard-working and someone who’ll do anything to provide for her family, and finally being able to see her teach after all these years of being the student is incredible.” “Sometimes it was a sacrifice,” said Callahan. “Sometimes my kids had to give me space they probably didn’t want to give me, but they knew I needed time to study and read. I had to figure out how to juggle the responsibilities of school and home while raising my kids.” The journey was well worth it in the end, Callahan noted, although she admits she’s still getting used to the idea of being in front of the class teaching—she teaches Writing and Composition at the University of Redlands—rather than listening to lectures and attending lessons as a student. “It is still kind of a shock to be in front of the class instead of on the other side,” she said. “It’s been a learning experience for me. Being at the University of Redlands is still so new to me.” Callahan’s favorite part about teaching is the face-to-face time she gets to spend with her students during the students’ One-on-One requirements; this is where Callahan gets to build teacher/student relationships with each of her students and help them grow in the areas of writing, not always necessarily in disciplines related to English courses, she noted. “I like that a lot, because I get to know the students. I was a tutor for many years at Cal State San Bernardino and it was a different experience. A lot of times it was different students coming in and I couldn’t build up a relationship with them. But now, it’s the same teacher with the same students all semester long, so I get to learn about them—I get to know their assignments and what material they’re studying.” Her love for reading and writing transferred over to her desire to teach the subject. She said she took several general education courses while attending RCC to get a feel for what she would enjoy studying. Always having liked English and writing, she finally settled on studying English, she shared. Her daughter Megan shared that her faith in her mother’s abilities never wavered. “Once she began attending Cal State, she was unstoppable,” she said. “As soon as she decided to become an English teacher, I knew that she would no longer just be an inspiration to her family, but also to her students.” Callahan said she always knew she would teach, and her favorite part about her career is interacting with the students, she noted. “I love hearing the students’ ideas and listening to their perspectives, especially when they are different from my ideas or perspectives,” she said. “I love seeing something in a way I didn’t see it before.” Prior to becoming a professor at the University of Redlands, Callahan taught English composition for 12 weeks at Chung-Ang University in South Korea. “I helped young students prepare to study in the United States,” said Callahan. “They study English for a year there and then they come to universities, most of the time in the Western United States, to study for three years.” The experience was a bit of culture shock for her, Callahan said, but it also helped her grow. “I don’t speak Korean, and they [the administration] wanted that, because then the students had to practice their English. I definitely learned a lot about myself as a traveler, culturally and as a teacher,” she said. In her spare time, Callahan enjoys reading; she admitted she’s “into memoirs mostly” now. She also likes to write fiction when she has the chance. “Words cannot describe how proud my mom makes me,” daughter Megan O’Malley said. “She has taught me that if you work hard, nothing is out of reach, and that is something that will stay with me always.” Callahan’s daughter Cathy Birchfield expressed her pride in her mother’s hard work and determination. “My mom has always been an inspiration and an amazing role model for me and my sisters. Now she can spread that to all of her students. They are extremely lucky to have a professor like her.”